


I am Mjolnir

by Lady_Faulkner



Category: Thor (Movies), Thor - All Media Types
Genre: Developing Friendships, Developing Relationship, F/M, Human Mjolnir, Implied Relationships, M/M, Original Character(s), Post-Avengers (2012), Pre-Thor: The Dark World
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-25
Updated: 2017-11-10
Packaged: 2018-10-23 21:43:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 41,406
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10727847
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lady_Faulkner/pseuds/Lady_Faulkner
Summary: Thor's hammer Mjolnir has been by his side for centuries, but will she stay there when a powerful spell turns her human?





	1. Hammer of the Gods

**Author's Note:**

> * The main story takes place after the events of "Avengers" but before the events of "Thor The Dark World"  
> * I used Neil Gaiman's "Norse Mythology" as my source for Mjolnir's forging. Loki, in the form of a fly, interfered with the forging, causing Mjolnir's handle to be too short to be used with two hands.  
> * Svartalfheim (The Dark World) - home of the Dark Elves and dwarves.  
> * Brokk and Eitri - brother dwarves who forged Mjolnir.

~ Whosoever holds this hammer, if he be worthy, shall possess the power of Thor. ~

Fire.  
Warm.  
Warm.  
Cold.  
Warm.  
Brokk.  
Short. Too short.  
Eitri. Bad.  
No.  
Fly.  
Big. Black fly.  
Bad.  
Brokk. Angry.  
No. Disappointed.  
***  
Asgard. Beautiful.  
Too short.  
Too short.  
Unworthy.  
Unworthy.  
No. Just right.  
Just right?  
Thor. Yes. Thor. Happy. Thor.  
Loki. Pummel.  
Yes. Pummel. Loki.  
Loki. Fly. Bad.  
Loki’s fault. Too short.  
Mouth stitched shut. Bad Loki. Happy Mjolnir.  
***  
TROLLS!  
Throw me! Throw me!  
BOOM!  
Yes! Yes! Yes!  
Back to Thor! ANOTHER!  
What glorious battle!  
Thor, look out! Thor-  
No, no, no, no, no…  
Sif! Thank you!  
More trolls!  
***  
Thor, no. This is a bad idea.  
Odin will not be happy.  
Why are you listening to Loki?  
Sif, Warriors Three, this is dangerous!  
Very well, do not heed my words!  
Heimdall! Please, please see reason!  
No. Heimdall! How could you allow them to go?  
Jotunheim is cold!  
Thor.  
No, do not antagonize Laufey.  
Listen to Loki! For once, I beg of you!  
Laufey…do not…  
Damn.  
Very well, I will show no mercy to a Frost Giant!  
AAAAAAAHHHHHH! LIGHTNING!!!!  
Odin.  
Oh, no.  
Thor.  
Thor. No.  
No.  
NO! I do not like thee Odin! Send me back to Thor!  
THOR!!!!  
How dare you banish him! He’s a fool, but he’s my fool!  
No, I do not like this! Odin! Do not throw me…!  
Midgard.  
How dare you touch the hammer of Thor!  
None of you mortals are worthy of me! None of you!  
S.H.I.E.L.D.  
Rain. Ooh, rain! Yes! Yes! Lightning! YES!  
Thor?  
No Thor.  
I am mad at you.  
Thor…  
He’s sad.  
I am sorry Thor!  
Loki.  
God of Mischief, God of Lies… Frost Giant?  
You…  
You are Jotun?  
NO! You will never be worthy of me!  
Thor…  
Thor?  
THOR! NO! You are not allowed to die at the hands of the Destroyer! I shall not allow it!  
LIGHTNING!!!!  
YOU SHALL FEEL MY WRATH, DESTROYER!!!!!!  
Myeu-muh? I am Mjolnir, mortal woman! I…actually…I rather like that name.  
FLY! Yes! Why are you taking this Midgardian with you?  
Thor, we are needed in Asgard. Thor? Kiss thine maiden later! We are needed on Asgard!  
Heimdall?  
Um, Heimdall.  
Thor…where is Heimdall?  
BIFROST!!!  
Frigga missed you!  
Wait. Loki, come here!  
Thor, I admire your newfound kindness, but Loki is attempting to destroy Jotunheim! To battle!  
YES! I have waited so long to hit you!  
Haha! You shall not move, so long as I am –Thor, no! He can move now! Wait. Thor, what are you doing? No! I agree with Loki! I agree with Loki! Thine maiden will be lost to you if you make me do this! THOR!!!!  
***  
What a long day, but what glorious battle with the Chitauri, and Thor has new companions on Midgard! I rather like them, and they did well to feast after the battle. Although I am still unclear as to what Shawarma is.  
***  
Thor...it has been a week since the battle; you need sleep. I need sleep. Please, your health will suffer if you continue like this. You will be of no benefit to the Realms if you are…. Good night Thor.

BOOM!  
“Ouch!”  
Thor stirred above me, his arm reaching blindly through the darkness, but not finding what it sought. He pushed himself onto his elbow and continued to search. “Mjolnir?” he mumbled into the dark.  
“Yes?” I replied from where I’d fallen on the floor, my armor glowing dully in the moonlight.  
The Odinson dove from his bed, pinning me to the floor with a hand at my throat. “Name thyself intruder!” he roared in my face. “Where is Mjolnir?”  
“Mjolnir,” I responded happily. “In your hand.”  
He blinked, processing my words.  
“I am Mjolnir,” I explained with a smile for his benefit. “Hammer of Thor, forged by the brothers Brokk and Eitri on Svartalfheim as part of a contest orchestrated by Loki.”  
“How do I know what you say is true?” Thor inquired. “It is not so hard to know the history of a weapon the likes of Mjolnir.”  
“Always so thick skulled,” I sighed. Then, an idea struck me. “Wait! You dared Loki to lift me one night when you had forced him to drink! He got one good pull in before he got sick all over me, and you spent the rest of the night cleaning me! Even he doesn’t remember that!”  
“Mjolnir?” he breathed, looking into my eyes.  
I smiled up at him and he pulled me to my feet. “How can this be?” he marveled.  
“I do not know myself,” I admitted, attempting to stand on shaking legs. “This is harder than you make it seem!”  
Thor took my hand for support and bore me to a nearby chair. “Rest,” he advised.  
“I was,” I yawned, “until I fell from your bedside.”  
He smiled at me and I lifted myself from the chair and onto the floor. “Good night Thor,” I whispered, lying down on my back.  
His eyes circled the room and rested upon his bed. “You are a maiden now Mjolnir, it would not do to have you sleep on the floor.”  
“I will be comfortable down here,” I reassured him.  
“Very well,” he consented reluctantly. “Good night Mjolnir.”  
He climbed back into his bed, but I knew he would not sleep. His mind was agitated; a storm that would not stop until it had run its course. I had watched him struggle through many a night in this state, and knew better than to worry; a god of thunder could weather any storm, real or imagined.  
***  
I stirred; rays of morning light playing at my eyelids and birds singing in my ears. As I fully came into consciousness, I realized that I was no longer on the floor, but lying in Thor’s bed. My eyes opened and I found that I was alone, still dressed in my leathers, but missing my armor. The silken sheets felt strange against my cool skin as I slid out from under them and made my way, on unsteady legs, to the polished mirror tucked away in one corner.  
An unfamiliar reflection stared back at me with electric blue eyes, framed by short, straight hair; the color of worn leather. My skin was pale, molded over the slender frame of one in the twilight of their adolescence. Physically, I was small and fragile; an archer’s bow more than a warrior’s hammer, but I still felt the strength of uru within me.  
“You are awake,” Thor’s voice boomed as he entered his bedchamber.  
“Yes,” I smiled, running clumsily to meet him.  
He met me half way across the room and steadied me as I started to fall. “It may be best for you to learn to walk before you run,” he advised.  
“I would rather fly,” I muttered.  
Laughter rumbled in Thor’s belly and thundered throughout the room. I smiled at him; this was not the laughter of battle or the chuckles of mead I was accustomed to, but jovial; springing from genuine amusement at my words; which I had never had the capability to voice until now. My frame felt heavy and my mind clouded as the full weight of my transformation came into focus. No more were my thoughts confined to my own head, but free to be voiced by a voice that had never existed before. I was something new, something Asgard had never seen, but my name was known throughout the Nine Realms. I was Mjolnir; I always had been, and so I would be, even after the last of the stars burned out.  
His laughter ceased. “Mjolnir?” he whispered, his voice tender.  
I blinked. “Forgive me,” I said softly. “I was lost in thought.”  
“What were you thinking of?” Thor inquired, walking to the chair he had set me in the night before and sitting down in it.  
“I made you laugh,” I explained. “I’ve done it before, but only on the battlefield.”  
Thor smiled at me. “Then let us endeavor to correct that.”  
“Agreed,” I said, returning his smile. “…I was also thinking of how much has changed for me, and yet, how very little has. I am flesh, and yet, I am still as I have always been…I am not making sense, am I?”  
Thor pondered my words. “I will admit that this is a little ways past my comprehension,” he conceded. “However, that does not invalidate what you are feeling.”  
I smiled encouragingly at him.  
“I make no claims at wisdom,” Thor continued, “but, if you are anything now like you were, then I will trust that you are more than capable of overcoming any obstacle.”  
Thor had never been a sage, in fact, he had always been the opposite; a thickskulled fool at best, but I knew that he spoke to me now from the depths of his heart, and that was enough. I had been his voice many times; a booming voice of hardened uru thrown against an opponent, or a silencing scream when I called lightning from the sky. Now, he would have to speak without me, and had a great ways to go.  
“Come Mjolnir, let us eat!” he suggested, rising from the chair. “I imagine that is something you will need to do now.”  
My stomach growled, confirming his suspicion and, with my arm in his, we made our way out of his chambers and down to breakfast. Odin sat at the head with Frigga at his right, surrounded by large dishes, the sight of which made my stomach growl even more. Sif and the Warriors Three were also at the table, and it was fair headed Fandral, who first made note of our arrival.  
“Who is this fair maiden?” he called loudly to Thor. “I do not believe I have seen her before.”  
“I thought you knew every woman in Asgard,” Volstagg jested between mouthfuls.  
Sif looked at me with hard, dark eyes and Hogun smiled politely, while Frigga and Odin silently surveyed me, their faces stone.  
“Apparently not,” Fandral smiled, rising from the table. He took my free hand in his and kissed it politely. “Fandral the Dashing,” he smiled, his dark blue eyes shining.  
Volstagg laughed and Sif rolled her eyes.  
“Is that how you introduce yourself to every maiden?” Hogun sighed.  
“Only those of great beauty,” Fandral returned, attempting to maintain his perceived allure.  
“Please,” Sif muttered, taking another bite of food in an attempt to mask her skepticism.  
“You have yet to answer his question,” Odin called down the table. “What is your name?”  
“Mjolnir!” I smiled.  
Fandral’s charming small dropped from his face, Volstagg forgot the meat he was bringing to his mouth, Hogun stared blankly, Sif looked from me to Thor and back, Frigga looked at Odin and Odin’s face darkened, his remaining eye fixed upon my face.  
“If this is a jest, it is not funny,” he growled.  
“No All-father,” Thor said, stepping between us. “I know how fantastical this seems, but this maiden is Mjolnir.”  
“Mjolnir was forged from uru by dwarves, such a metal does not simply change its shape,” Odin returned, his voice cold. “It most certainly does not become a maiden.”  
“Odin,” Frigga intervened, “it is as you say, but our son would not make such claims if he did not believe them to be true. Summon Mjolnir to your side, and if what Thor has said is untrue, then-”  
Odin held up a hand and she fell silent. The eye of the All-father rested on me as he extended his hand into the air, calling me to his side. My feet came off the floor under me and I was pulled feet first through the air above the length of the table, and landing before Odin, my throat a breath away from his hand.  
“Father!” Thor protested.  
I looked up into Odin’s eye without fear; a storm building inside of me until thunder boomed throughout the hall and lightning shone from my eyes.  
“I am Mjolnir, of Svartalfheim, Hammer of Thor,” I proclaimed, my voice as loud as the thunder I had summoned.  
Odin lowered his hand and sat back in his chair. “It would appear so.”  
I felt the eyes of Sif and the Warriors Three looking at me in bewilderment as the storm broke around them.  
“Mjolnir,” Frigga said kindly.  
I turned to her and bowed respectfully, feeling her eyes resting upon each feature of my form with quiet inquiry. “Whoever did this, did not do so on a whim,” she commented softly. “The spell work is some of the most intricate I have ever seen. If you do not mind, I would like to study it further.”  
“Of course,” I replied, attempting a smile, which she genuinely returned.  
“Come, eat, you must be hungry,” she said, motioning for me to take the seat at her right.  
“You will sit beside me,” Thor insisted, stepping forward to take his seat at Odin’s left. “As you always have.”  
I smiled at him and made my way around the table, settling myself as he’d requested. Lady Sif sat at my right and placed a helping of everything within reach upon my plate. Nervously, I took a small bite, chewing as I had seen it done, and finally swallowing. Was food meant to taste this way?  
“What do you make of it?” Thor inquired, watching my face.  
I took another bite, larger this time. “This food, I like it,” I informed him with a smile. “ANOTHER!”  
Thor and the Warriors Three roared with laughter and Sif smiled at me.  
“You shall have it!” Thor smiled, adding another large helping to my plate so it overflowed.  
“Mjolnir,” Sif whispered as I took another bite and everyone else began to converse with those at their right and left. “Do you remember your time as a hammer?”  
I nodded at her vigorously; my mouth was overstuffed.  
“You are not what I would have expected,” she continued.  
“Sif,” Thor cautioned, a smile forced upon his face.  
“You yourself are not what others would expect from a lady, now are you Sif?” Fandral chimed in from his seat across from her.  
She shot him a cold look which he returned with a good-natured smile.  
“You proved to all that a maiden could be a fierce warrior,” I commented, recalling something Thor had once told her. “I have always admired you for that.”  
Sif’s ears turned pink and Fandral smiled at me approvingly while Hogan nodded in agreement from his right. I looked at Thor, who smiled knowingly and then past Sif to Volstagg, who raised a hunk of meat to me with a broad smile.  
“…I am honored to have such praise,” Sif muttered, staring intently at her plate. “You have aided me in many battles, and for that you have my thanks.”  
“You have saved our skins more times than I would like to admit,” Fandral conceded.  
“Thank you Mjolnir,” Hogan muttered, bowing his head respectfully and I smiled in return.  
“I should offer you my thanks as well,” I admitted.  
Thor turned to me and I could feel the confusion on his face.  
“You, Warriors Three, and fierce Sif, have done much over your many years of service to keep peace in the Realms, and ensure Thor’s safe return. He would not be sitting here without your aide at one time or another, and for that, you have my thanks.”  
The Warriors Three and Sif exchanged glances that I could not read. “Forgive me, if I have offended you,” I said quickly, turning to Thor for guidance, but received a mere smile in reply.  
“You have not offended,” Sif informed me curtly.  
“We are honored, to say the least,” Fandral added and Hogan nodded in agreement.  
Thor clapped a large hand on my shoulder. “Let us drink!” he called. “To the Warriors Three! To Sif! To Mjolnir!”  
Glasses were raised and drained while smiled were exchanged freely. Sif clapped a hand on my shoulder and for one, I was one of them. Stories were told of past battles, jeers lobbied, drink consumed, and laughter shared; I had known all of this before, but for the first time, I was a part of it, and my heart swelled with pride as I looked into their faces and saw the acceptance in their eyes.  
When we had finished, Odin left without a word and Frigga made her way around the table to my side, taking my hands in hers. “Forgive him for doubting you Mjolnir,” she said kindly. “He is not one to trust what he cannot understand.”  
“I do not hold it against him,” I said with a light smile. “A hammer does not simply become a maiden.”  
“Can you discern anything more about the magic which was used to accomplish this?” Thor inquired, rising from his seat.  
Frigga looked at him and then at me with great focus. “As I said before, powerful magic was enacted to make this possible,” she muttered, turning her head quizzically. “However, this also means that the spell cannot hold for long; three to five days at most.”  
Thor nodded, but there was something in Frigga’s voice that caused me to question her words. “What else?” I inquired.  
Panic shone in her eyes before it was covered by a mask born of breeding and centuries of practice. “There is nothing else,” Frigga replied.  
Thor shifted his weight beside me; he’d noticed her evasion. “Thank you mother,” he said kindly. “If you will excuse us, I promised Mjolnir a tour of Asgard. As you said, she only has a few days before she is a hammer once again, and there are many things she wishes to see.”  
He had never been a talented liar, that honor fell to Loki, but Frigga smiled and wished us well all the same. We bid farewell to the Warriors Three and Sif, whose eyes gave light to Thor’s lie. Noticing this, Thor grabbed hold of my arm and led me from the hall. Once we were out of Frigga and Sif’s sight, he began to pull me into a corner.  
“My mother is not telling us everything,” he hissed.  
“No, she is not,” I responded kindly.  
Thor met my gaze and I saw the wheels turning inside his thick skull; weighing his options, trying to find a way around the conclusion I had already come to. The only person who could match, and most likely best, Frigga’s knowledge of magic was locked away in the dungeons for crimes committed on Midgard.  
“We have no choice,” I said softly and Thor bowed his head in resignation.


	2. Hammer of Thor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thor and Mjolnir visit the dungeons to learn the truth about her enchantment from the god of mischief.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Sexual encounters of f/m and m/m are alluded to in this chapter. Nothing explicit, but it is there. All of this is contained within conversations with Loki, so button pushing is to be expected. 
> 
> *Svadilfari - in Norse Mythology, a giant in disguise offers to build a wall around Asgard in 3 seasons and demands the sun, the moon and the most beautiful goddess as payment. No one likes this idea, but Loki suggests that they ask the disguised giant to build the wall in 1 season, and when he fails they won't have to pay him and they can just finish what he started. At the end of the season, the wall is almost done and all the gods are mad at Loki, especially since they all swore unbreakable oaths that they wouldn't interfere. To fix this, Loki transforms into a mare and... distracts Svadilfari -the giant's stallion. Without his horse, the giant could not finish the wall. Nine months later, Loki shows back up with an eight-legged colt who follows him everywhere. This is Loki's son Sleipnir, whom he gifts to Odin.  
> (*Easter Egg for "Thor" (2011), when Odin arrives on Jotunheim to stop Thor, he is riding Sleipnir).

“So, you have come to visit me?” Loki sneered from his cell as we approached. “And…oh, who is this?” His green eyes fixed on me, taking in every detail of my new form with unnerving intensity. “I’m afraid you will not find Fandral’s chambers down here. Unless…oh, she is lovely Thor, but a bit short for my taste.”  
“That is your own fault, Silvertongue,” I sneered.  
Now I had his attention. “Have we met?” he inquired, squinting at me.  
“Many a time,” I responded, noting the cautionary glance Thor gave me as I stepped closer to the cell. “Our encounters often end with me hitting you.”  
“Mjolnir,” Loki whispered before smiling. “My, my, this is quite a change.” His eyes jumped to Thor. “How desperate you must be for companionship, to resort to transforming your hammer into a woman. Does Odin approve? Or does he know?”  
Thor formed his hands into fists and I felt the power of the storm swirling inside him. “This is not my doing, brother.”  
“Oh?” Loki mused, returning his attention to me. “This is powerful magic,” he whispered, “not something one would conjure on a whim. If you have come to question me, I have not left this cell since you placed me inside it.”  
“Am I to believe the god of lies?” I returned.  
Loki smiled. “You sought me out for a reason, did you not?”  
“There are two enchantments upon me; I wish to know the nature of the second,” I responded simply.  
Loki straightened and chuckled to himself. “What a direct little hammer you are,” he mused. “I would expect nothing less. As to your enchantments, the first will dissipate within a few days, allowing you to transform back into your usual self.”  
He stopped and I glared up at him. “Continue,” I threatened.  
“Do you really wish to know?” he inquired, leaning forward and looking down his nose at me. “There is a reason Frigga did not tell you the nature of the second.”  
“We never told you-” Thor cut in, putting a protective hand between me and Loki.  
“-Who else would?” Loki sighed, straightening.  
I touched Thor’s arm gently and met his gaze. “Please,” I implored, “allow me to speak with him.”  
“Mjolnir,” Thor protested softly, while Loki began to pace his cell, playing at not listening to our conversation. “You know Loki as well as I; speaking with him alone-”  
“I am well aware of this Thor, but you are still filled the fires of our glorious battle and are not clear of head. Please allow me to do this, I know how to handle Loki,” I pleaded.  
“Mjolnir,” he whispered, looking into my eyes with deep concern in his.  
“Have I ever failed to return to you?” I inquired, attempting a smile.  
His broad shoulders heaved. “No, you have not,” he admitted, taking my hand in his and placing the other on top; a comforting gesture I had seen Frigga do many times before allowing Thor to go into battle. “Be safe Mjolnir.”  
I nodded and his rough hands dropped to his sides. Thor shot one final glance at the man he had been raised to call brother, and made his way out of the dungeon. I watched him go before refocusing my attention on Loki, who was finishing a turn around his cell.  
“Much better,” he commented, walking over to me.  
I met his gaze, but said nothing.  
“You are not stoic by nature,” he scolded with a sigh, breaking eye contact.  
“No?” I mused.  
His cold green eyes locked onto me and his trickster’s smile appeared. “No, if anything, you are willful, stubborn, and passionate, the latter most assuredly so.”  
“I am a hammer,” I responded with a shrug.  
Loki’s expression softened into one of…surprise, sympathy? “You are much more than that Mjolnir; Thor could tell you that, dim as he is, look at you; a hammer made flesh. Tell me, how does it feel?”  
“How does what feel?” I inquired cautiously, recognizing the beginnings of his trickery.  
“All of it,” Loki replied, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. “Each sensation you have felt since you became flesh has been a new experience.”  
“You would know, wouldn’t you?” I smiled, watching his eyebrows contract inward in confusion. “Shape-shifting into a new form, it must be quite the experience,” I elaborated.  
“Ah,” he smiled. “They forget to ask, don’t they?”  
“I am an unusual occurrence,” I responded, recognizing his trap. “It is easy for them to forget that I am experiencing many things for the first time, when my outer appearance has been so drastically altered.”  
Loki had hoped for a different response, and I smiled to myself as I watched the wheels in his head spin, concocting a new plan. “Now, about the second enchantment,” I continued before he could finish his thought.  
“You really want to know, don’t you?” he sighed, turning away from me.  
“Yes, and I would prefer seeing your face when you speak to me, so I may know that you are not attempting to lie to me,” I returned pointedly.  
Loki smiled in amusement and turned back. “The second enchantment is intended to keep you in this form so long as you desire it, even after the first spell dissipates. Rather a cruel curse, if you ask me.”  
I turned away from him to contemplate. I could remain flesh forever; make Thor laugh, eat with the Warriors Three, and laugh with Sif as they made fools of themselves. I could even travel wherever I wanted in the Nine Realms. Part of me had always wanted that; to explore the Realms without the need to pummel drunken men when they offended me, well, Thor. Thor, what would he think? I was his trusted weapon, the mighty Mjolnir, the hammer of the gods; feared across the Nine Realms for my power. But was that really me? It was Thor, carrying me into battle and summoning storms that had made my name great. Nothing that I was remembered for throughout all of the Nine Realms was my accomplishment.  
“Are you alright?” Loki inquired, his curiosity poorly masked by false concern.  
I turned and looked at him. “I am Mjolnir,” I smiled.  
He sighed, closing his eyes in annoyance as I had seen him do so many times before when Thor was being especially dim. “Yes you are,” he muttered.  
I relished his state of irritation; for I so rarely got to see it.  
“There is something I have been meaning to ask you,” Loki mused, regaining his composure. “How exactly does your anatomy work? If I ever take the form of a hammer, it would be nice to know what goes where.”  
Another trap, but what was the purpose of it?  
“My legs are shorter than they should have been,” I responded carefully.  
Loki nodded, a smile infecting his face. “So that’s where Thor grabs you.”  
I set my face against his words; I had gotten what I wanted from him, there was no need to play his games any longer than necessary.  
“Thor grips you so tightly, I would hate to think you a maiden without a flower, fair Mjolnir,” he continued, enjoying his taunts.  
“I have what I need from you,” I said, moving to leave him, but he followed me within his cell.  
“You still have your flower, don’t you Mjolnir?” he sneered. “Or did Thor take that from you when women were scarce?”  
I set my jaw, determined to not give him anything to play with.  
“How long did he wait before touching you?”  
I could hear the smile in his voice. “Guard your tongue,” I hissed.  
“He never touched you, did he?” he sneered. “He just made you watch while he pounded himself into woman after woman, night after night. I can imagine it, so clearly; Thor, dropping you on the floor and forgetting about you until after the mewling quim gave him what he wanted, and all you could do was lie there and listen to his drunken panting, over and over-”  
“-Is that what you want?” I snapped, meeting his glittering eyes. “Stories about Sif and all the others? How they all screamed his name while he pushed them into the bed again, and again until they begged him to stop because they thought the frame was going to break? How they trembled after, still feeling him inside them; demanding more than they could ever give him?”  
Loki’s lips were thin; this wasn’t what he’d expected.  
“I could tell you more, much more, and in greater detail. Then, you could have an image to conjure at night when you still feel Svadilfari inside you. When the gnawing question of which you enjoyed more; the sensation of another’s manhood inside you, or that it belonged to a stallion, will not leave you? Is that what you want; Thor in place of-”  
Loki slammed his fist against the cell wall, causing it to vibrate with the same intensity I saw behind his eyes. I had crossed a line, and he would show me no mercy for it. “This cell will not hold me for long Mjolnir,” he growled. “So know that when I am free, I will make Thor suffer in recompense for your words; slowly, agonizingly, until he begs death, but before I grant him that, he will watch as I melt you down; ensuring the last thing you see in this life will be the agony on his broken face as he watches his precious hammer burn!”  
I balled my hands, feeling my rage flash like dry lightning inside me. “I will never allow that,” I screamed, meeting his poisonous gaze.  
“Won’t you?” Loki inquired, stepping back as the wheels spun in his head. “Thor needs his hammer, but does she need him?”  
I dropped my gaze.  
“You do not have to answer to him anymore Mjolnir,” Loki reminded me.  
“This enchantment, it will keep me in this form, so long as I desire it?” I whispered.  
“Only after the first spell wears off,” Loki clarified.  
“Thank you Loki,” I muttered, walking away.  
I felt his eyes follow me, but no final words joined them, which meant only one thing; he was satisfied. He believed that he had put doubt in my mind; made me question the choice I was presented with…and he had. Loki had won.  
“Mjolnir,”  
Thor had been waiting for me at the top of the stairs. As he looked at me, his face softened with concern and he took a step towards me. “What did Loki tell you?”  
I hesitated.  
“Mjolnir,” he whispered.  
I could not lie to him; he had trusted me so many times before, and now, I needed to trust him. I watched his face as I told him, watched the wheels spin and tried to guess what thoughts were drifting through his mind.  
His massive arms wrapped themselves around my slender frame and I felt the weight of his head on my shoulder. “Mjolnir…” his voice was soft. “Forgive me. You have always been the best of companions, but I see now that I have never been the same to you. I took you to distant Realms and into battles you may not have wanted to fight. You were my hammer, but you are much more than that. If you wish to leave my side, to remain in this form, I would be honored if you would but think of me as a friend and companion, ready at all times to offer my full support.”  
I wrapped my arms around his barrel chest, and rested my forehead against his shoulder, fighting back the tears he had summoned within me. “Thor…” I whispered, my voice uneven, “I do not regret a single day at your side.”  
“Thank you,” he whispered.  
I squeezed my eyes shut, but I could no longer contain my tears, and shed them into his cloak. My thin frame rumbled with my sobs, but Thor’s grip did not loosen, if anything, it tightened; a parent sheltering their child from the storms of life. My tears dried, but he held me for a moment longer before pulling back; his hands resting on my shoulders in continued support.  
“You promised me a tour of Asgard,” I sniffed with a weak smile.  
“That I did,” Thor agreed, returning my smile. “Where would you like to go?”  
“…I have never ridden a horse,” I said after a moment.  
“Then you shall,” Thor vowed, moving to my side and offering me his arm for support.  
“I think I am beginning to master walking,” I informed him as I slipped my arm around his.  
He chuckled and began our tour. We walked out of the dungeons and into the mid-morning light, then down a long corridor before turning right and walking out into the stable yard.  
“Saddle my horse,” Thor commanded the stable boy who ran out to meet us, “and prepare one as well for Mjolnir.”  
The dark haired boy stared blankly at Thor, waiting for him to laugh at his jest, but when the boy’s expectations were not met, his dark brown eyes darted to me for answers. I smiled at him while repeating Thor’s request and watched the boy’s eyes widen before he ran off to begin saddling the horses.  
“Unbelievable,” Thor muttered.  
“Indeed, I am,” I smiled.  
“You have a good sense of humor,” he smiled. “I like it.”  
I giggled and began scanning the stables with my eyes. Thor noted my interest and escorted me around, naming off each horse until we came to Odin’s eight-legged stallion Sleipnir, whom I had only ever seen from a distance. The grey horse’s eyes met mine as we approached and Thor extended a hand to the stallion’s nose, petting it affectionately before encouraging me to do the same.  
“Hello,” I smiled as my hand glided across the short hairs on the bridge of Sleipnir’s nose. “Do you remember me?”  
Thor smiled at me and looked around to see if the stable boy had finished readying our horses.  
“I angered your mother just now, so this may be the last time you see me.” I confided softly; a serene smile painted on my face in case Thor returned his attention to me. He had enough to shoulder, and I did not intend to add Loki’s threat to his load.  
“Here he comes,” Thor informed me.  
“Farewell,” I whispered to Sleipnir.  
The stable boy looked up at Thor nervously as we approached, his knuckles white from holding the reins too tightly. I recognized Thor’s white stallion; strong and muscular, I only came up to his shoulders. Next to him stood a slender, dun mare with a white and black mane. Thor took the mare’s reins in one hand and mine in the other.  
“Put your foot in the stirrup,” he said kindly, steadying me as I did.  
I swung my right leg over the mare’s back and slid my boot into the other stirrup before taking the reins from Thor. He mounted his stallion and maneuvered him so our mounts were side by side.  
“Relax the reins and give her a small kick,” Thor instructed, waiting for my mare to walk forward before following suit. “Good, keep the reins relaxed. Pull the reins to the right or left to turn that direction.”  
I tested my mare’s obedience and smiled confidently. “I believe I have mastered the basics,” I reported.  
“Good, now, let us see how you do at a canter,” Thor encouraged, leading me out of the stables and onto the Bifrost.  
Wind played with my hair and I felt the familiar pulse of adrenaline in my veins I associated with flight. I kicked my mare’s sides and she sped into a gallop, carrying me away from the center of Asgard.  
“Mjolnir,” Thor called after me; a parent cautioning their child against taking a risk.  
I laughed in reply, feeling the wind in my face, wishing I could go faster.  
“Mjolnir!”  
I ignored him; for the first time in my life, I ignored him and sped onward. I could see Heimdall standing at his post at the broken end of the Bifrost and I urged my mare towards him.  
“MJOLNIR!” Thor bellowed.  
He thought I was going to fall off the Bifrost, but I had other plans. I pulled back on the reins and slowed my mare to a gallop and then a canter as I closed the distance between myself and Heimdall. My mare stopped and I dismounted, looking over my shoulder. Thor was still speeding towards me, his face thunderous.  
“Hello Mjolnir,” the guardian said kindly.  
I turned, Heimdall’s back was to me gazing out into the stars. “Hello,” I replied with a smile, walking to his side.  
“You should not have done that,” he advised, the thunder of Thor’s stallion’s hooves sounding in our ears.  
I glanced up at him and then back at Thor, who was slowing his stallion’s pace so as to not scare my mare. “It felt like flying…” I whispered, the childishness of my words ringing in my ears.  
“You cannot do all that you once did,” Heimdall reminded me. “You are capable of many things, Mjolnir, but now your actions will have far reaching consequences.”  
I looked up at him questioningly. “My actions have always had consequences. How could they have greater effect now?”  
Heimdall chuckled. “Wait and see.”  
“Mjolnir,” Thor snapped, leading his stallion and my mare by their reins.  
I looked out into the stars with Heimdall, knowing the storm that was about to strike.  
“Why would you do that? You could have fallen,” Thor continued, coming to my side. “You would have been lost…forever.”  
I set my jaw, understanding the words he left unspoken. “Lost to you,” I hissed, speaking them for him.  
Thor straightened.  
“You mean a great deal to Asgard,” Heimdall commented passively. “You have protected it for many years.”  
I looked at Heimdall angrily. “I am more than a simple hammer!” I snapped.  
My body was trembling with rage while my eyes watered in pain. After all that Thor had said, he had just proven that he did not trust me. If he became enraged at something so simple, what was to stop him from flying into an even greater rage if I were to act against his will in battle? Odin had shown at breakfast that I could be summoned against my will. Would Thor…? Could Thor…?  
“You told me that you would support me,” I muttered, looking to the stars. “Is this how you would do it?  
Heimdall turned his head, his all-seeing eyes taking us in.  
“Will you permit me freedom, so long as it is agreeable to you?” I continued, deciding to look him in the eye. “Or will you trust me and the knowledge I have gained from my many years at your side?”  
I watched the rage leave Thor’s face before he bowed it in shame. “Mjolnir, I humbly ask, if it is within your power, to forgive me. I broke my word to you; who have always been my most trusted of companions and constant of friends.”  
“Friend?” I repeated softly.  
“I have always thought of you thusly,” he admitted, the shadow of a smile on his lips. “If I am mistaken,-”  
“You have not known me until today,” I responded, meaning no offense.  
Thor moved so he was in my line of sight. “You are not wrong,” he conceded. “Long ago, I learned what made you happy when I carried you into battle, but you are no longer a mere hammer to be picked up and taken where you do not wish to go. You are a maiden with a strong mind and a will forged of uru, and I must endeavor to remember this, or risk offending you once again. Please Mjolnir, be patient with me. I give you my word that I shall not place so little value upon your judgement ever again.”  
“I accept your terms, but only if you can find it in your heart to forgive me,” I responded.  
“Forgive you?”  
“Yes. This form has given me many freedoms, not least among them, is the ability to affect the lives of those around me on a far grander scale than before. Odin banished you to Midgard when you brought Asgard to the brink of war with Jotunheim. I learned how to be reckless from you; imagine what I could do, were I to act so thoughtlessly. I need you to guide me, but I must also be given the freedom I need to become my own person. Are you willing to assist me in this endeavor?”  
Thor clapped an enormous hand on my shoulder. “I swear it Mjolnir.”  
“Thor and Mjolnir, where would the Realms be without you?” Heimdall mused.  
We exchanged a knowing smile and joined Heimdall’s watchful gaze.  
“They are beautiful,” I whispered.  
“The stars?” Thor clarified. “Indeed they are.”  
I smiled.  
“Would you like to visit them Mjolnir?” Thor inquired.  
“Every single one,” I responded.  
Thor chuckled momentarily before adding seriously; “Then I shall accompany you, if you will have me as a travelling companion.”  
“I would not travel any other way,” I reassured him.  
An irregular drumming of hooves caught our attention and we turned; Odin was riding up the Bifrost on Sleipnir, accompanied by two guards.  
“What is the meaning of this?” Odin’s voice boomed as he dismounted.  
“I was teaching Mjolnir to ride father,” Thor responded calmly. “Surely there is no harm in that.”  
“For what reason would a hammer need to know how to ride?” Odin inquired, walking towards us with the guards in tow.  
Thor hesitated. “She is not a hammer at present,” he said slowly.  
“At present,” Odin repeated pointedly. “From what Frigga has told me, Mjolnir will be set right in a few days. Until then-”  
“I am bone and flesh as you are Odin Borson,” I cut in. “It is not unnatural for me to desire to learn to ride.”  
“You are a hammer,” Odin returned, “enchanted to appear-”  
“If you will forgive me,” Heimdall said, turning to face Odin, “but this maiden has not simply been enchanted. Were that the case, the spell could be easily removed. However, Mjolnir has been transformed; her very being altered by magic, resulting in the form you see before you.”  
“What you are suggesting is impossible,” Odin growled.  
“I see every soul in Asgard,” Heimdall returned. “This maiden is Mjolnir.”  
Odin’s irritation amused me; he knew he could not argue with Heimdall, but he was still unwilling to accept the truth. Instead, he wanted to scold Heimdall, scream at Thor, and blame Loki for everything that went wrong in Asgard; anything but accept that I was Mjolnir.  
“…If this maiden is in fact Mjolnir,” Odin muttered, “then she should not be allowed to walk about.”  
He motioned to the two guards and Thor stepped between us, placing the reins of our horses in Heimdall’s outstretched hand. “You cannot mean to keep her locked away,” he protested, his right hand curling into a ball.  
Thor was off balance without me in his hand and Odin knew it.  
“Step aside Thor,” Odin commanded.  
“I shall not stand idly by while Mjolnir is imprisoned against her will,” Thor shot back.  
The guards hesitated, unsure how to proceed.  
“I cannot allow one of our most powerful treasures to wander Asgard,” Odin insisted.  
“Why would I wander?” I cut in, stepping around Thor. “I am loyal to Thor, and wherever he goes, I shall follow, just as I always have.”  
“What are you doing?” Thor hissed.  
“Stubbornness will not solve this,” I replied kindly. “I will return to Asgard, but you must swear an oath to me Odin Borson that you will allow me the same freedom as you did when I was a mere hammer.”  
Odin weighed my deal. “Very well Mjolnir, you have my word.”  
“Then I ask for you to swear upon your own name, Odin All-father,” I returned.  
An oath sworn upon Odin’s name was one of the most powerful one could make. Swearing upon one’s own name also carried great power, and the All-father was well aware of this. He sighed, weighing the stubbornness of his son against the strength of his will. Both could volley words until Ragnarok, but that would accomplish nothing. The Nine Realms had been in chaos ever since Thor and I had destroyed the Bifrost; whether Odin liked it or not, he needed his son’s knowledge and skill on the battlefield and those services were now directly tied to my wellbeing.  
Thor’s blue eyes shone with admiration and awe as the All-father swore upon his own name and recalled the guards to his side.  
“We should return,” I muttered, taking my mare’s reins from Heimdall.  
“I promise our next outing will be more cheerful,” Thor replied, accepting the reins to his stallion.  
I forced a smile as I climbed up into the saddle and made sure he saw it.  
“I almost forgot the reason I came here,” Odin muttered, approaching Heimdall. “Begin your repairs as soon as possible.”  
The blue glow of the Tesseract passed from a satchel carried by one of the guards to Heimdall’s hands. “Thank you,” he said graciously.  
“Let us be off,” Odin commanded.  
Thor waited for his father to mount Sleipnir and allowed him to lead our return to Asgard with the guards on his left and right, followed by myself and Thor. As we neared the city, thousands of voices could be heard, speaking all at once in an excited roar. I looked to Thor for an explanation, but realized the cause as he did; Odin had ridden out onto the Bifrost with the recovered Tesseract, which had been examined by the most powerful sorcerers since Loki’s capture, and now Heimdall could use its power to repair what Thor and I had destroyed.  
The streets were flooded on all sides as the people of Asgard fought to catch a glimpse of Odin and Thor, but the weight of their gaze rested the longest upon me. To them, I was a stranger, riding into Asgard on a palace horse with Thor at my side, which undoubtedly caused speculation that I was his bride-to-be.  
Thor pulled his horse close to mine, a smile upon his face as he feed off the energy of the crowd. “Smile,” he encouraged.  
I forced myself to obey and raised a hand, which elicited a positive response from the crowd, which made Thor’s smile even broader. We dismounted, and Odin ascended to his throne, causing me to remember the day of Thor’s coronation. It had been a pleasant day like this one, and the crowd had been brimming with excitement, but today they were overflowing. Thor’s coronation had meant a secure line of succession to the throne, but this symbolized much more. With the Bifrost restored, many could return home for the first time. My eyes fell upon Hogun, standing between Fandral and Volstagg, who had been unable to return to his home on Vanaheim for over a year. He looked grim as always, but the weight of this moment was not lost on him.  
Odin’s staff struck the ground and the hall fell silent. The All-father’s voice boomed as he expressed the sentiments which rested in everyone’s mind. He spoke of the importance of Asgard’s renewed connection with the Realms, and emphasized the joy many felt at being able to return home. He praised Thor’s valiant efforts on Midgard which had resulted in the safe return of the Tesseract. Applause filled the hall and Thor raised his hands in support, a smile spreading across his face, which I returned respectfully.  
“A banquet will be held tonight, in celebration of Thor’s efforts and to commemorate the rebuilding of the Bifrost,” Odin continued once the excitement had died down.  
Thor led the renewed cries of approval and I joined wholeheartedly in his enthusiasm. Odin nodded approvingly and the crowd began to slowly disperse.  
“This will be your first banquet!” Thor exclaimed as we made our way back into the palace before quickly adding, “I hope that you will attend.”  
“I cannot wait,” I admitted, but with less enthusiasm than he’d anticipated.  
“Mjolnir?” he whispered.  
“It is nothing Thor,” I reassured him.  
“No, something is troubling you,” he insisted, seeing through my lie. “Is it Odin?”  
I stopped, he could be so thickheaded. “I do not trust him,” I sighed. “He has sworn me an oath, but that will not prevent him from manipulating me.”  
Thor said nothing. He knew I was right, but could not bear to admit it to himself.  
“I need some time,” I said gently. “So much has happened…I have barely had time to process it all.”  
Thor nodded. “You know your way around,” he said with a faint smile.  
“I will be fine,” I reassured him sincerely, looking up into his blue eyes. “I simply need a moment to clear my head.”  
“Go then,” he replied gently, “but return before the banquet.”  
“I will be,” I smiled.  
I broke away from his side, but turned back to watch him go. He was restless, but so was I. Odin knew how to twist oaths and deals to fit his needs and it was a matter of time before he began to manipulate mine, but there was very little I could do to stop it.  
I sighed and walked out onto a nearby balcony, which offered an almost unobscured view of Asgard. A memory floated into recognition and I was pulled back through the years to a time when Thor and Loki were leaving their childhoods behind. I had only existed for a short time, so the memory was fuzzy, but I remembered Thor’s boisterous tone as he lifted me high while marching the same balcony I now stood at. Loki had been sitting on a bench, a book of spells open on his lap, trying in vain to ignore his brother. After a short time, he had raised his eyes, watching Thor with a calculating gaze before challenging his brother to walk along the railing. A look I now knew to be mischief danced in Loki’s eyes as Thor had agreed without a second thought. He had held me aloft while taking his first few steps, then his foot slipped and we tumbled off. Loki had run to the rail, only to find Thor hanging by the ivy with one hand, the other still gripping me. Thor had jested and Loki had helped him back over the rail, telling his brother to be more careful.  
I rested my hand on the stone rail; it was narrow and curved, no wonder Thor had lost his balance. I looked around and found that I was quite alone. I looked out, admiring the play of the afternoon light against the buildings below and allowed myself to wonder about the lives of the Asgardians who dwelt there. I had carried Thor above them, but we rarely mingled with them. What did they know of each other? Walls and status kept us apart, but surely the plight of the common man was no less important than the challenges faced within the walls of the palace?  
The bench Loki had sat at, all those years ago, was still there and I stepped up onto it to get a different angle. A soft breeze kissed my face and I was reminded once again of flight. Was that something I could still do? I looked over the edge of the balcony; the mouth of an underground cavern gaped up at me like a beast awaiting its dinner.  
“I’ve never actually flown on my own,” I told myself, still starring into the cavern. “Do not be foolish.”  
I lifted my gaze and leaned on the rail, taking in the view.  
“Mjolnir?” Sif’s voice called.  
I started, kicking off from the bench, which threw me off balance long enough for me to start falling back; my body weight did the rest.  
“Mjolnir!” Sif screamed as I fell, her face appearing briefly above me before the cavern mouth swallowed me whole.


	3. Defender of Asgard

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Giants beasts, Odin, banquets, adjusting to being flesh and bone; Mjolnir has quite a bit to deal with.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just wanted to say this now; if you love baby animals, regardless of cuteness, then I'm sorry. I'm so sorry.

The cavern was deeper than I had anticipated, which only made hitting the floor come as an even greater shock, knocking the wind out of me. I lay there for a few minutes, my mind processing everything that had just happened.  
“Sif,” I moaned, knowing that she was running to find Thor.  
Thor…I could picture his face and felt a pang in my stomach as my mind continued to weave a narrative of events that I could only guess at. He would tear through the halls, running blindly to the balcony with Sif at his heels, praying that he would not be foolish enough to jump after me.  
“Mjolnir!” a faint voice bellowed.  
I blinked.  
“MJOLNIR!” the voice called again, louder this time.  
“Thor,” I smiled before shouting his name in reply.  
I could picture the relief on his face and on Sif’s; I was alive and well enough to respond. I slowly sat up, taking inventory of my limbs and joints. Nothing caused me pain so I endeavored to stand. Halfway through the process, I heard a low growl and froze.  
“Bildgsnipe,” I breathed.  
Normally, the enormous beasts kept to themselves, but were known for causing massive destruction if provoked. I attempted to keep my breathing steady while my eyes scanned the dim cavern for the source of the call. Movement at the corner of my right eye caught my attention and I slowly turned towards it. The Bildgsnipe stood as tall as Thor, which meant I only came up to its shoulder, and judging from the growth of its antlers, this was only a pup of a few months. It hadn’t noticed me yet, despite the amount of noise I had made during my fall. I slowly turned my head skyward; I had fallen a great ways into the cavern, but climbing out did not look to be too difficult. Not startling the Bildgsnipe pup was a different matter entirely.  
The beast shook its large head and scaly body and began to explore its surroundings. I watched it for a few minutes before slowly creeping towards the cavern wall. My boot sent a small rock sliding and I froze as the pup turned its head towards the source of the noise. Its nostrils flared and the beast lumbered towards me in an inquisitive manner. I froze, my muscles tense, ready to run if necessary, but I did not want to provoke the beast into attacking me my appearing aggressive. I seemed to fail at this, as the pup broke into a lumbering charge, its antlers poised to impale me. My mind had just enough time to register this and my proximity to the cavern wall before I was forced to leap aside, resulting in the pup running into the wall full force. A painful cry resonated in my ears as the beast stumbled back, shaking its head. I froze a second time and observed its mannerisms, which slowly became more aggressive as its head cleared. The Bildgsnipe pup began to actively seek out my scent and let out a murderous cry, which caused my blood to flow with the heat of battle. The beast charged and I attempted to dodge its attack, but it had learned and stopped before hitting the wall. It turned and immediately launched into another running assault. My mind raced back to the hours Thor had spent training in the ways of combat and I felt myself relax as an innate instinct took over.  
Screaming a war cry, I charged the beast, dropping to my knees at the last possible instance before delivering a sharp blow to the soft skin of the pup’s throat. The beast was launched into the air and collided with the cavern ceiling before plummeting to the floor where it lay dead.  
“Mjolnir?” Thor’s voice called from a short distance above me.  
“Down here!” I called back, moving under the mouth of the cavern.  
Sif and Thor’s faces appeared a few seconds later, relief sweeping over them.  
“Are you unhurt?” Thor inquired gently.  
“Very much so,” I smiled before beginning to climb up to him.  
A deep, angry cry rumbled throughout the cavern, and heavy steps shook the ground.  
“Bildgsnipe,” Sif breathed, drawing her sword.  
“The mother,” I added, nodding to the pup.  
Sif’s eyes widened and Thor gave me a nod of approval.  
The mother Bildgsnipe’s footfalls intensified, causing the walls of the cavern to tremble until I lost my grip. I saw Thor’s lips scream my name as I fell, but the sound was lost under the Bildgsnipe’s earth shaking roar. I rolled to my feet before being thrown aside by the mother’s enormous antlers. She looked to be two years past full maturity, which put her in peak physical condition. Her small red eyes locked onto me and I knew that I would not best her as easily as I had her pup. I needed to get to higher ground if I was going to have even a chance against her; down here, her size gave her the advantage, despite limiting her maneuverability. I could move faster, but that would not mean much if she pinned me in a corner. Above ground, she could charge me, but I had more options when it came to launching my counterattack; namely, Thor and Sif.  
I glanced upwards and leapt into the air, my hands reaching blindly for a handhold, which they clasped while my knees slammed into the rock. The impact stung, but I forced myself to climb, my eyes focused solely on finding the next handhold. The Bildgsnipe slammed into the wall but I managed to hold on before resuming my ascent.  
“Mjolnir,” Thor’s voice croaked as he lowered one of his massive hands to me.  
We locked forearms and he pulled me skyward while the Bildgsnipe jumped for me, her jaws snapping at my boots, but failing to grab hold as I escaped. Thor pulled me to his feet and into his arms.  
“Mjolnir,” he breathed, placing a protective hand on the back of my head.  
“I am unharmed Thor,” I reassured him softly.  
“She’s trying to get out,” Sif reported.  
Thor and I broke apart; Sif was cautiously leaning over the lip of the cavern, sword poised for the attack. We joined her and watched as the Bildgsnipe threw herself into the air, claws scrapping at the cavern wall as she slid back down, unable to reach the mouth in a single bound.  
“We should return,” Thor suggested after observing a few attempts.  
Sif gave him a fiery look. “She could still get out.”  
“Sif, the walls are too steep,” Thor reassured her, “if she was going to get out, she would have by now.”  
They began to quarrel, but I kept my attention on the beast below. She was circling now, growling up at me and planning. I looked over my shoulder at Sif and Thor and then back at the Bildgsnipe, who had positioned herself across from one of the walls. She charged and threw herself at the wall, which she kicked off from, hurling herself at the opposite wall and then back. The ground above her began to shake and I stumbled backwards before she leapt onto the surface. Thor froze and Sif slipped into her stance while I backed towards them, my eyes locked on the Bildgsnipe.  
“Leave her to me,” Sif hissed to Thor.  
Anger flashed in Thor’s face then faded; without me in his hand, he did not know how to fight. I looked back at him and something in me shifted. I had launched the Bildgsnipe pup into the air with a single blow from my fists, something I had done many a time as a hammer-no, I had done it exactly how I had done it as a hammer.  
“Throw me,” I whispered, stepping to Thor’s side.  
He took his eyes off of the Bildgsnipe long enough to give me a puzzled look.  
“Throw me,” I repeated more urgently.  
Sif glanced at us and then back at the Bildgsnipe. The beast had lost interest in us and now broke into a powerful run, with Asgard as its destination. Dread swept over the three of us and our legs began moving before our minds had fully processed what had happened; Thor in the lead with Sif and me running behind, neck and neck.  
“Thor,” I called as we ran. “I need you to throw me.”  
“You are no longer a hammer,” Thor shot back.  
“I am still Mjolnir,” I returned, “and it is my duty to defend Asgard.”  
Sif glanced at me and then called to Thor, “She defeated the Bildgsnipe pup on her own.”  
I could feel Thor fighting against our words, but knew that he could not deny what he had seen with his own eyes. “How do I throw you?” he inquired.  
I increased my speed until we matched strides. “Take my arm,” I instructed, offering him my right.  
He clamped his right hand onto my forearm and I saw the pieces fall into place in his eyes. Thor ran a little ahead of me before slowing and quickly using my momentum to swing me into the air. Our hands parted and I flew through the air, my hands coming together ahead of me.  
The Bildgsnipe had already reached the outskirts of Asgard and screams filled my ears as I sped towards her. Thor’s aim was true and I slammed into the beast’s back left hip, causing the bone to shatter. The Bildgsnipe screamed while I clambered onto its back and ran up her spine; she felt my footfalls and tried to shake me off, but that only caused her more pain by straining her shattered hip. I took advantage of this and leapt onto her head, making ready a single fist with both hands before jumping into the air and bringing them down on her skull. Bone cracked and shattered under my fists and the beast screamed, but did not fall. I launched a second attack; her legs buckled and the Bildgsnipe collapsed, throwing me off balance and into a nearby building.  
I broke through the wall as if it were wet paper and landed on a long table. As I sat up, I registered the number of eyes staring at me. The owners of those eyes were well dressed, which meant that they had undoubtedly been at Odin’s speech. I watched as recognition and curiosity flooded their faces; the strange woman who rode at Thor’s side had become even more of a mystery.  
“Are you hurt?” one of the women whispered, finding her voice.  
“No, thank you,” I replied, climbing off of the table. “I apologize for the mess.”  
“It will be fine,” the women reassured me.  
“Did you attack that Bildgsnipe all on your own?” a young man, who looked to be her son, inquired softly.  
“Yes, I did,” I admitted.  
They all stared at me blankly.  
“MJOLNIR!” Thor’s voice boomed.  
I ran to the hole I had created and looked down into the streets. He was standing near the fallen body of the Bildgsnipe while Sif examined it to be sure it was dead.  
“UP HERE!” I called back.  
His eyes found me and a proud smile spread across his face. “YOU DID WELL!”  
“I WILL BE RIGHT DOWN,” I laughed.  
I turned and was met with uniform expressions of bewilderment.  
“Who are you? How can you be Mjolnir, the hammer of Thor?” the woman, who had asked if I was hurt, breathed.  
“I do not fully understand it myself,” I replied honestly, “but I am Mjolnir made flesh.”  
I leapt out of the hole I had created before any of them could ask another question. As I landed, I became aware that Sif was yelling at Thor.  
“Are you a complete fool?” she snapped. “Now all of Asgard will know!”  
Thor was rather pink in the face and completely defenseless against Sif’s verbal assault.  
“The enchantment will leave her in a few days, there was no need for them to know!” Sif continued. “Now that you have announced it, word will spread to the Nine Realms that Thor does not have his hammer! Thankfully, this will be resolved in a few days, but do not think for a moment that your actions will not have far reaching consequences.”  
I wanted to go back and stop myself to speaking to Loki; knowing that I had a choice had only endangered the Realms. I wanted to cry, to find Frigga, to hug her and apologize; she’d only wanted what was best for me and I had sought out the god of lies, who sometimes told harsh truths.  
“…Forgive me, my prince,” Sif whispered.  
I glanced at Thor and watched as his face began to burn red with rage. “You do not have my forgiveness,” he bellowed.  
Sif’s throat tightened.  
“Lady Sif, you have spoken against my most constant of companions and insinuated that she is unworthy of guarding the Realms!” Thor continued, his voice booming. “Mjolnir has successfully defended Asgard against a fully grown Bildgsnipe, and you, of all people, would have her hang her head in shame!”  
“Thor, please,” Sif implored.  
He turned his back on her and looked at me. “You did well,” he said, forcing a smile. “I could not have done better.”  
“This victory is mine,” I agreed. “However, Sif is not wrong.”  
Thor dropped his gaze, taking on the mannerisms of a scolded child.  
“You are not wrong either,” I reminded him in a whisper.  
Our eyes met and I smiled. “This day, I have proven that I will not be worthless to you-or any of the Realms- in this form.”  
Thor returned my smile. “That you have,” he agreed.  
“What has happened here?” Odin’s voice demanded.  
Thor and I turned in time to watch the All-father step off of a palace guard transport accompanied by four guards. Thor moved between us, but I placed a gentle hand on his shoulder and shook my head. “I will speak with him,” I said calmly.  
Thor watched me as I walked around him and faced Odin, a faint smile on my face. “All-father,” I said politely.  
“I should have known you were at the middle of this,” he sighed.  
“As Asgard’s defender, I have kept its people safe from a rampaging Bildgsnipe,” I informed him, choosing to ignore his comment.  
Odin looked at my work and then back at me. “So you have,” he admitted bitterly.  
“All-father,” Sif said, stepping forward.  
“Lady Sif,” he muttered.  
“Thor has made Mjolnir’s identity known to half of Asgard,” she informed him.  
“Has he now?” Odin returned, looking past me to Thor.  
“Yes father,” Thor admitted, “but the people of Asgard have a right-”  
“What is the point of their knowing?” Odin snapped. “The enchantment will lift in a few days’ time.”  
Thor opened his mouth to protest, then closed it again.  
“All-father,” I said, walking to Thor’s side, “is it not better that they know? What if word of my transformation were to reach their ears after I return to my previous form? Many would agree with you that it was best to keep me hidden away, but there would be those who would question. They would see you keeping me from sight as an act of cowardice and weakness.”  
Odin studied me; I was not wrong, and he was curious enough to hear my solution.  
“I propose that you publicly announce my transformation and acknowledge your reasons for not doing so earlier,” I continued. “However, in light of my recent actions, you saw no further reason to keep me hidden away, since the people of Asgard have a right to know the identity of the woman who saved them.”  
The All-father weighed my words and considered the consequences of the decision before him. Keeping me hidden away would no longer be entirely effective, but would announcing my presence to the Realms be even more dangerous? Thor could no longer fight with me the way he had, and if an army could rally fast enough, he would fall on the battlefield. Odin would not risk that, but I knew all too well how impulsive and stubborn he could be; valuing his own opinion with dangerous fidelity, but rarely did it serve him ill in the long run. Whatever choice he made, it would affect the Realms in ways even he could not fully foresee.  
***  
I stood before all of Asgard, no longer a mystery. Applause thundered in my ears, but I would have been a witless fool to believe that their praise was genuine. Their eyes, which had looked upon me with inquiry mere hours ago, now betrayed the uncertainty bubbling inside them. False smiles met mine as I stood at Thor’s side, my right arm raised; all of us players in the great charade, while the All-father looked down from his throne at the lie he had created.  
The false thunder faded and Thor prompted me to step forward. “I am Mjolnir,” I announced, “of Svartalfheim, Hammer of Thor and Defender of the Realms. I swear upon Odin, the All-father, to protect the Nine Realms with my life.”  
Thor clapped a hand on my shoulder as I returned to his side, a second false storm ringing in my ears. I forced a smile as Odin announced that the banquet for the rebuilding of the Bifrost would now also be in my honor.  
“I want to pummel him,” I growled, marching down a corridor after the ceremony had ended.  
“That will not solve anything,” Thor reminded me as he struggled to keep pace.  
“He is making a mockery of me,” I snapped.  
“He is recognizing your efforts,” Thor retaliated.  
“Our efforts,” I muttered.  
“Mjolnir,” Thor sighed.  
“Ah, there you are,” Fandral smiled, rounding the corner with Volstagg at his heels. “Mjolnir of Svartalfheim.”  
“That is a bit of a mouthful,” Volstagg joked.  
“I thought you enjoyed large mouthfuls?” Fandral inquired playfully.  
Volstagg’s great belly shook with laughter as he clasped a hand on Fandral’s shoulder. “That I do,” he grinned.  
“Styling myself ‘of Asgard’ did not feel right, since I was forged on Svartalfheim,” I explained with a nervous smile.  
“You do possess the beauty of an Asgardian,” Fandral flirted.  
My cheeks warmed.  
“You would know,” Thor joked. “You have courted every one of them!”  
Volstagg laughed and Fandral shrugged, a friendly smile on his face.  
“The banquet will start soon,” Volstagg reminded us.  
I froze.  
“Can you smell it already?” Fandral jested.  
“I will need something to wear,” I muttered, looking down at my leathers.  
Thor agreed and we bid farewell to Fandral and Volstagg. “Perhaps my mother could assist you,” he suggested as he walked. “Sif is far too tall for you to wear anything of hers.”  
Frigga was in her chambers when Thor knocked and greeted us with a warm smile. She had changed into a dark red gown, adorned with beads down the middle, and her gold-red hair fell to her waist. “I have been expecting you,” she said, taking my hand.  
“I will leave you to your work,” Thor smiled.  
He bowed and left us to change his attire.  
“Please sit down Mjolnir,” Frigga insisted, gesturing to a circular sunken seating area.  
I stepped down and rested on one of the half-circle couches, my eyes wandering the room. Thor rarely entered his mother’s chambers and often did so without me. The furniture was simple with small ornate details and soft gold cloth covered everything. Everything was arranged to optimize the space, leaving large areas open so Frigga and her handmaids could easily move about.  
“Do you like it?” Frigga smiled, noticing my wandering gaze as she placed an array of garments on her arm.  
“It is very beautiful,” I admitted, returning her smile. “Far more so than Thor’s chambers.”  
Frigga chuckled. “I never could get him to tidy up,” she mused.  
She glided across the room and laid the garments out on a table in the center of the seating area. The first, farthest to my left, was made of gold cloth and adorned with large red jewels. The second was made of silver cloth and decorated with small green jewels and blue beads. The third was a swirl of silver and sky blue fabric, with delicate silver stitching. The fourth and final gown was a simple cream gown with clear crystals.  
Frigga picked up the first gown quizzically and held it up to my face. “I did not think so,” she muttered, tossing the gown onto the couch across from me. She grabbed and cream dress and it quickly joined the red.  
“I like this one,” I said softly, touching the silver and blue gown.  
Frigga’s eyes fell on it and she nodded approvingly. We moved behind her changing screen and her long, nimble fingers made quick work of my buckles and straps.  
“How are you Mjolnir?” she inquired while she worked.  
“…Tired,” I admitted.  
“You have had quite the day,” Frigga smiled.  
She paused.  
“Is something wrong?” I inquired.  
“No, you are just a bit dusty,” Frigga replied. “There is time for you to bathe before the banquet.”  
She handed me a gold silken robe and had her handmaids draw up a bath for me. While I soaked, she washed and brushed my hair.  
“Did you ever want a daughter?” I inquired while she worked.  
Frigga chuckled. “I suppose so, but Thor and Loki were enough of a blessing.”  
Even after all he had done, she still thought of him as her son. Part of me was repulsed and wanted to demand how she could think of him with such fondness, but the other half understood. She remembered the infant Odin had brought back from Jotunheim; small, scared and alone. She had fallen in love with him as he had learned to crawl, then walk. When he’d come to her in tears because of something Thor had done, she had whipped away each falling tear and held him in her arms until he stopped crying. Her hands had taken his and guided them in the ways of magic, never dreaming that he would use his gifts for mischief and evil. She had supported him when Thor and Odin had torn him down and told him that she loved him. Loki had been her son, and a mother does not easily forget her love.  
“Frigga,” I whispered, concentrating on the rhythm of the hairbrush in my hair, “would you teach me how to fight?”  
She paused. “There are many weapons masters who would happily teach you,” she responded. “I am sure Sif would too if you asked her.”  
“They fight with weapons,” I retorted. “I am the weapon.”  
“Why me?” Frigga inquired, resuming the strokes of the brush.  
“My power is inside me, as your magic is inside you,” I explained. “You are never without a weapon and you fight as such. That is something no weapons master or even Sif can teach me.”  
Frigga laid the brush beside the tub and I turned to look at her. “I will teach you all that I can,” she promised.  
“Thank you,” I responded respectfully.  
After my bath, Frigga helped me into my dress and pinned pieces of my short hair away from my face. She then gave me a pair of blue, low heeled shoes with silver threading.  
“There,” she smiled approvingly, “you are ready for your first banquet.”  
“Thank you Frigga,” I smiled.  
She returned my smile and we walked out of her chambers, down the halls and into the banquet hall. The table was heavily laden with meat and fruits, stacked upon golden plates. Fires burned, illuminating the room as the sun’s light receded, sending a flickering light throughout the hall, which glittered on jewels and metals.  
All of high Asgardian society had gathered in celebration, and their eyes fell upon me as I made my way to the table with Frigga. They smiled to my face and spoke kind words, but they could not hide the murmur of whispers at my back. I forced a smile to match theirs and played the fool until Sif and the Warriors Three entered the hall.  
“Mjolnir,” Fandral breathed, “you put the sun and stars to shame!”  
I smiled kindly while Sif rolled her eyes.  
“Have all the maidens of Asgard disappeared?” she inquired dryly.  
Volstagg chuckled and Fandral’s face pinked.  
“Lady Sif, you wound me,” he exclaimed dramatically. “There are still many maidens in Asgard, but it would not be right for me to ignore such a beautiful one!”  
Hogun shook his head disapprovingly. “If you speak thusly to every maiden, your words will lose their worth.”  
Fandral fell silent, a hurt look crossing his face.  
“Now he will sulk all evening,” Sif sighed.  
“I doubt that,” Hogun replied.  
Fandral looked at him in amazement. “My mood is not as changeable as a child’s!” he exclaimed, undercutting his point. “If I wish to sulk all evening, then I shall!”  
“I do not believe the maidens of Asgard would allow it,” Sif teased.  
“I have had enough of your jests,” Fandral returned, the corners of his lips attempting to smile. “I bid you all a good evening.”  
He walked away and was soon surrounded by four maidens, who were captivated by every word he spoke. Sif shook her head at him with a smile on her face while Hogun kept his face stony as ever. Volstagg’s attention had been captured by the food and I found myself sharing in his longing gaze.  
“They have prepared a great feast for tonight,” Volstagg commented to me.  
“Yes they have,” I nodded.  
“I would be honored if you would sit beside me,” Volstagg admitted. “I know all the best dishes.”  
“I wish to try every one,” I smiled reassuringly.  
“Volstagg will make sure of that,” Thor’s voice smiled.  
I turned; at first glance, the Prince of Asgard did not appear to have altered his attire, but as he approached, my eyes began to notice the differences. His boots were lightly worn and in high polish, his pants were crisp, the leather of his belt dark and the buckles brilliant. He wore a breastplate with small, intricate details that could only be seen in close proximity, and a red cape without blemish. His golden hair was freshly washed and his beard trimmed, making him look even more the golden prince.  
“You jest, but you know I speak truthfully,” Volstagg joked as Thor approached us.  
“That I do, my friend,” Thor conceded stopping before us.  
I smiled and I felt his eyes upon me.  
“You look lovely, Mjolnir,” he said softly.  
“Thank you,” I replied, returning his tone.  
Volstagg’s stomach growled. “When will this feast begin?” he inquired loudly.  
“Soon my friend, have patience,” Thor chuckled.  
Volstagg have him a sad look and refocused his attention on the food. Thankfully, Odin entered the banquet hall a few seconds later and announced the beginning of the feast. Sif locked her arm around mine and pulled me to the table. I sat beside Volstagg, whose plate was already piled high and Sif sat at my left while Thor was forced to sit across from us. Volstagg kept his word and heaped my plate as high as his, which he began to attack with enthusiastic vigor. Sif shook her head and relieved me of the majority of my portion.  
“You are far too small to eat so much,” she sighed, moving one final piece of meat to her plate.  
“It was a nice gesture,” I whispered back, taking a bite.  
“He gave you too much food, regardless,” Sif muttered, popping a grape in her mouth.  
I shook my head at her before scanning the table. I recognized many of the faces, but barely knew the minds that dwelt behind them. Thor preferred to dine with the Warriors Three and Sif, regaling a rotating cast of dinners with tales of his battles. These spectators tended to be young, with the fires of battle flickering in their eyes, and almost exclusively men. The women who did attend tending to orbit around Fandral’s golden head, and cared more for his face than the tales being told. The Asgardians who surrounded me now would never attend one of Thor’s late night boastings in the tavern and the difference in their energy and mannerisms was jarring to me.  
“Try to not look lost,” Sif advised, noticing the expression on my face.  
“I know so few of them,” I whispered, feeling their eyes on me.  
“None of them know you,” Sif smiled encouragingly. “Use that to your advantage.”  
I smirked into my mead; to Sif, everything was a battle to be fought.  
“More meat!” Volstagg called, causing Thor, Sif, Fandral and myself to roar with laughter.  
He took our laughter in good humor and joined in as the servants worked to fulfill his demand. “More boar?” he inquired, turning his head to me.  
“Oh no, my plate is still full,” I admitted, blushing, “but that leaves all the more for you.”  
Volstagg chuckled and began to refill his plate. I took a few more bites and attempted to make conversation with those around me, but I soon grew bored of their questions and glanced across the table to Thor’s seat, only to find it vacant.  
“I did not see Thor leave,” I whispered to Sif.  
She turned her attention to his seat. “I am sure he will return shortly,” she reassured me.  
I continued to eat, but my attention was locked on the empty seat; Thor hated to miss a feast.  
“Excuse me,” I whispered to Sif.  
“He is fine,” she muttered as I got up.  
“I just want to be sure,” I returned.  
“I will make your excuses,” Sif sighed.  
“Thank you Sif,” I smiled genuinely.  
She nodded. “Now go.”  
I slipped out of the banquet hall and realized that I had no idea where Thor had gone. No one seemed to pay much mind to my absence, so I decided to walk the halls. Cool evening air brushed against my skin and I became aware of how warm I had been in the banquet hall. As I walked, my attention was caught by the rising full moon, which was partially obscured by the surrounding structures. My eyes led me through the halls, searching for an unobstructed view, which led me back to the balcony I had fallen off of earlier. I stood transfixed in the archway for several minutes before becoming aware that I was not alone. Thor was leaning against the balcony rail, his head turned skyward, taking in the moon.  
“Beautiful night,” I said softly.  
Thor spun around, his eyes glittering while his right hand sprang to his hip where I normally hung. An embarrassed look covered his face as he registered that I was the one who had startled him and his gaze dropped.  
“Forgive me for startling you,” I offered.  
“There is no need to apologize,” Thor smiled, looking up at my face.  
I smiled back.  
“The evening is quite beautiful,” he agreed.  
I walked to his side and turned my gaze skyward. Thor joined me and we shared in each other’s silence.  
“…Is something troubling you?” I inquired softly, still looking at the moon. “It is unlike you to leave a feast.”  
“Tonight’s feast has brought unanswered questions back into my mind,” Thor replied to the stars. “…Questions, I had long put from my mind.”  
I waited for him to elaborate; his words tumbling in my mind until they made sense. “Jane,” I whispered to the heavens before looking at Thor’s face.  
“Are my thoughts so transparent?” he inquired, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.  
I hesitated. “…To me they are,” I admitted to the railing.  
Thor said nothing and I panicked.  
“I have been with you for so long,” I stammered, “that I know you very well. That is all I meant.”  
Thor chuckled to the railing, paused, and then looked at me with wide eyes. “Have you always been sentient?” he whispered, horrified.  
I laughed; the oaf had just realized the full extent of my words. Every battle, every feast, and every woman; I had been there for it all.  
“Mjolnir, you have my most sincere apologies,” he breathed.  
“Thank you,” I said sincerely.  
Thor nodded and looked out over Asgard.  
“…Your thoughts were turned on Jane,” I said cautiously, returning the conversation to its origin.  
“Yes,” Thor admitted, “and they have not been so for a long time.”  
I waited, remembering his silence during those first few months after our exile. He had looked across the stars, thinking of her and knowing that he could not keep his promise to return to her.  
“I grew accustomed to the idea of never seeing her again,” he admitted. “Even when I was sent to Midgard to bring Loki home…I could not risk putting her in danger.”  
“We had to stop Loki,” I reminded him gently. “She will understand that.”  
“It has been over a year since I last saw her,” Thor muttered, “I do not expect her to continue to wait for my return.”  
“If her heart is true, then neither time, nor distance will matter,” I whispered.  
“Am I a fool to believe that?” Thor inquired. “She lives a mortal life, even if I were to return to her now, my life will continue long after hers has ended.  
“Perhaps,” I conceded, “if her mortality is the reason you wish to remain here.”  
Thor gave me a questioning look.  
“She is mortal, but that should not prevent you from loving her, if indeed you still do,” I explained. “A summer flower is valued, despite the knowledge that it will soon fade; are not mortal lives the same?”  
Thor consulted the stars, pondering my words. “Where did you acquire such wisdom?” he inquired, looking at me.  
We exchanged a smile.  
“Thank you for your council, Mjolnir,” Thor said sincerely.  
I nodded. “While I am able to give it, it is yours,” I promised.  
Thor’s eyes flashed. “Do you intend to shed this form?” he exclaimed.  
“I am rather fond of it,” I returned, “but…I cannot ignore my duty to the Realms, and if I am of more use as a hammer, then I shall return to my former form.”  
Thor dropped his gaze, resting his hands on the rail and forming them into fists. I took a step closer to him and placed a hand on his shoulder.  
“Thor,” I whispered.  
“You proved your worth to all of Asgard today,” Thor returned through gritted teeth. “Is that not proof enough that you are useful in this form?”  
I hesitated and Thor turned to meet my gaze. “Mjolnir, it is your decision to make…however, if I am allowed to make a selfish request…I have grown rather fond of you as you are.”  
I looked into his dark blue eyes and felt a smile cross my face. “Thank you.”  
Thor wrapped his muscular arms around my small frame and pressed his lips to the middle of my forehead. I felt alive; like lightning was passing through by body, more intense than any I had ever summoned, leaving me breathless. My arms found Thor’s waist and I pulled him closer, completing the current running through me. His lips slid into my hair and I felt him breathing me in, while I did the same. We stood there in soft silence, bathed in the light of the full moon, and I felt an eternity pass.  
“We should return,” Thor whispered. “By now they will have noticed both of our absences.”  
Our arms slid past each other and his hands caught my elbows, neither of us ready to leave the other’s embrace.  
“They will talk,” I mumbled to his chest.  
“It will happen regardless of our presence,” Thor muttered bitterly. “Before you arrived at the banquet, someone told me they had thought you were my betrothed before father’s announcement.”  
“Someone actually thought that?” I inquired.  
“You do not seem surprised,” Thor returned suspiciously.  
“A woman no one has seen before rides into Asgard on a palace horse with the Odinson at her side; it is not an unfounded conclusion,” I summarized.  
“No, I suppose not,” Thor sighed.  
Our arms fell to our sides and we stood before each other in silence, not meeting the other’s gaze.  
“We should return,” I said after a few seconds.  
“Yes we should,” Thor agreed, but neither of us moved.  
“Your mother will not thank us if we miss the entirety of the banquet,” I muttered.  
Thor sighed. “You are not wrong,” he admitted.  
He took my arm in the crook of his elbow and we returned to the banquet hall, taking care to enter separately.  
“There you are,” Sif hissed in my ear as I took my seat.  
“My apologies,” I whispered back.  
Sif starred at me incredulously. “Where were you?”  
“Stargazing,” I replied simply, popping a grape in my mouth.  
“With Thor?” Sif inquired, lifting her goblet to her lips while glancing at me from the corner of her eye.  
I looked at her, my face confirming what she already knew.  
“This is the first I have heard of him stargazing,” she mused, setting her goblet back on the table. “The view must have been quite spectacular to turn his eyes skyward.”  
I hesitated. “If I have done something to offend you Lady Sif, I beg your forgiveness,” I proceeded cautiously.  
“He is different when he is with you,” Sif replied simply, her gaze fixed upon the golden prince. “In the course of a single day, you have brought an almost unceasing smile to his face, which I have hardly seen in months.”  
I followed her gaze across the table and found myself smiling along with him.  
“He is jovial once more, and you are directly responsible,” Sif continued, shoving a grape into her mouth.  
I felt the warmth of Thor’s kiss upon my forehead anew and dropped my gaze from his face. “Forgive me,” I whispered faintly.  
Sif straightened, her eye wide. “Mjolnir, do you think I am angry with you?” she inquired.  
“In the span on a single day, I have made him happier than he has been in months, despite your many attempts to improve his mood,” I muttered.  
Sif weighted my words. “I will not deny that I had hoped to be the one to return him to good spirits,” she said.  
I took a drink from my goblet.  
“That does not mean,” Sif continued, “I resent you for accomplishing what I could not.”  
I met the dark eyes of Lady Sif; the maiden who had become a fearsome warrior by the strength of her resolve and skill alone. There was very little she had not accomplished in her life, for her pride and determination spurred her forward until the obstacle was overtaken. To acknowledge defeat was something she seldom did, and I was humbled to be one of the few acceptations.  
“Thank you, Lady Sif,” I whispered sincerely.  
She stared at me for a moment then smiled, raising her goblet to me. “To Thor’s happiness,” she said.  
“To Thor’s happiness,” I agreed, raising my goblet.  
We shared a smile and drank deeply. Sif and I spent the remainder of the banquet with our heads close together, recounting tales of battles fought and victories won. Volstagg joined in between mouthfuls and pulled Fandral, Hogun, and Thor into the conversation now and again to enrich our recollections, but he otherwise allowed us to speak uninterrupted.  
“-I had everything under control,” Sif insisted as the table began to empty.  
“I had to summon a storm to restore order,” I reminded her, sipping at my near-empty goblet.  
Sif laughed. “Your lightning struck the chieftain,” she smiled.  
“He was being unreasonable,” I shrugged and Sif laughed.  
“That he was,” she agreed.  
“Mjolnir, Lady Sif,” Frigga said, joining us.  
“My queen,” Sif replied respectfully.  
“I have instructed my servants to prepare a room for you,” Frigga informed me.  
The full weight of her words struck me; I had not given a moment’s thought as to where I would sleep and I felt foolish for not having done so.  
“…Thank you for your generosity,” I said softly.  
Frigga smiled. “Come and find me when you are ready to retire,” she instructed before saying farewell to Sif and leaving the table.  
“Mjolnir?” Sif inquired, a concerned look painting her face.  
“I am a maiden, not a hammer,” I muttered, more to myself than to her. “I can no longer share Thor’s chambers.”  
“At least you will not have to listen to his snoring,” Sif smiled.  
I chuckled and returned her smile. “It is rather loud,” I agreed.  
“I have heard thunder softer than his snores,” Sif returned. “The first time I heard it was during a campaign and I thought the enemy was launching a late night attack.”  
“I remember that night,” I laughed. “You woke the whole camp before realizing what it was.”  
Sif’s cheeks pinked, but she laughed good-naturedly. “He slept through the whole thing,” she recalled.  
“You would be surprised what he has slept through,” I replied.  
“I doubt that,” Sif mused.  
I laughed and Sif smiled at me before stifling a yawn. “I think I shall retire,” she said.  
“I should too,” I agreed, standing up.  
We found Frigga and bid each other goodnight before Frigga and I set off for my chambers.  
“How are you?” Frigga asked while we walked.  
“Full and in need of rest,” I replied good-naturedly.  
Frigga smiled. “I am glad to hear it,” she said. “Do you think you will be rested enough tomorrow morning to begin practicing with me?”  
“Yes, of course,” I replied eagerly.  
“Then we shall begin after breakfast,” Frigga smiled.  
We turned a corner and I almost ran into Thor.  
“Mjolnir, there you are,” he smiled. “Mother,” he added politely to Frigga.  
“You were searching for me?” I inquired, puzzled.  
“I was about to retire and realized I did not know where you were,” Thor explained.  
“I was just showing her to her chambers,” Frigga informed him.  
Thor seemed surprised. “Her chambers?” he repeated.  
“Mjolnir is a maiden, Thor,” Frigga reminded him. “She should have her own chambers.”  
“Of course,” Thor said quickly before turning to me. “Rest well, Mjolnir,” he added kindly.  
“Thank you,” I smiled.  
Thor wished his mother a pleasant evening before Frigga and I continued towards my chamber.  
“Forgive me if I appeared rude,” Frigga said as we walked.  
“There is no need to apologize, my queen,” I reassured her.  
“Thank you Mjolnir,” she said softly. “I know that my son is honorable, but rumors have been founded on less.”  
“He is the future king,” I agreed, “you are merely looking out for his best interests.”  
Frigga gave me a knowing smile. “I know that an occasional dalliance is an accepted practice for a young man, but I am his mother, so part of me will always worry about his reputation.”  
I glanced at her, how much did she know? Was she merely speaking as a woman of nobility who had heard stories, or had a friend who had snuck into another’s chambers? Odin had strayed, that was common knowledge, but his love for her was never in doubt. Or did she know about the women Thor had invited into his bed? He had become less cavalier in more recent years, and had ceased this activity all together after he had met Jane. The women he had indulged in beforehand, had been nothing more than the dalliances of a boy becoming a man, but she had been the first he had gotten to know and care for. However, the people of Asgard did not know this, and one well-placed rumor could be catastrophic for Thor’s future as king.  
“Here we are,” Frigga said, pulling me from my thoughts.  
I recognized that we were standing in the east wing, which over-looked the palace gardens. Frigga opened a narrow door and motioned for me to step inside. The chambers she had chosen for me were smaller –intended for a minor noblewoman –but had an intimate charm the larger ones lacked. I stepped past Frigga into a circular audience chamber with sunken seating similar to what I had seen in Frigga’s chambers. This opened up onto a balcony which could hold twenty people shoulder to shoulder, and offered an unobstructed view of the gardens. To the left of the main entrance was another door which led to the bed chamber. A two person bed with white silk sheets dominated the small chamber, but aside from a wash basin, a large oak chest, and a sunken bath in an alcove to the right of the bed, the room was empty.  
“I know it is not much,” Frigga apologized, from over my shoulder, “but I hope you will be comfortable.”  
“I am sure I will be, thank you,” I said, smiling genuinely over my shoulder at her.  
She brushed past me and opened the oak chest at the foot of the bed. “I asked around for garments and these should be around your size, but let me know if any of them do not.”  
“I will, thank you,” I replied.  
Frigga closed the chest and I could see the scales in her head weighing her next words. “Mjolnir, I was not entirely truthful with you earlier today,” she confessed. “Two enchantments were placed upon you, the first-”  
“-will dissipate within a few days and the second allows me to remain in this form as long as I desire it,” I cut in softly.  
“You spoke with Loki,” Frigga sighed knowingly.  
“You hid the truth from me,” I replied simply, “and I desired to know the truth.”  
Frigga nervously played with her fingers. “Are you angry with me?” she inquired.  
I paused. “You lied to Odin, to Sif, the Warriors Three, to Thor and to me, all because it made everything easier. If I did not know about the second enchantment, I would have returned to my previous form and everything would have returned to the way it was before.” I said levelly. “I do not blame you for making this decision, but I am hurt that you did not trust me to choose for myself what is best for the Realms.”  
Frigga nodded and closed the oak chest. “I did not know you this morning, but I see now that I was mistaken,” she said, placing a comforting hand on my shoulder.  
“Thank you,” I said sincerely. “Whatever form I take, I will always be Mjolnir and I will never fail to defend these Realms.”  
“You have proven that this day,” Frigga reassured me, “not even Odin can deny that.”  
I smiled then yawned.  
“You have had a long day,” Frigga said gently.  
I nodded and she helped me out of my dress. “Rest well, Mjolnir,” she said, folding the dress over her arm.  
“Thank you,” I said as she left me.  
I opened the oak chest and starred at the contents; silk dresses with fine embroidery, cotton nightgowns with delicate lace, and hidden at the bottom, four shirts of blue and red and two pairs of black pants. I pulled these items to the top, burying the dresses and considering the nightgowns. They were fine and delicate, the night attire of a noblewoman, but a hammer? I sighed and laid them on top of the dresses before closing the chest. I walked to the right side of the bed and pulled the sheets back before sliding between them and lying my head on an overstuffed pillow. My eyes starred up at the ceiling, begging for sleep, but my mind would not yield. I rolled onto my right side and starred at the wall before rolling onto my other side, which had the same result.  
“Enough,” I muttered throwing the covers from my body.  
I made my way to the oak chest and donned one of the blue shirts and a pair of the black pants. I remembers that my boots were still in Frigga’s chambers, and realized that my armor was still in Thor’s, and resolved to retrieve them in the morning. I laid out on the floor beside the right of the bed, and closed my eyes but found that sleep still alluded me. I was more comfortable on the floor than I was in the bed, but something was still off. An angry grunt escaped my lips and my eyes flew open as I realized what was missing; the roar of Thor’s snoring. Part of me had grown accustomed to it over the years and now that it was gone, I felt ill at ease. I rolled my head to the right and closed my eyes, the fatigue of my body fighting the unease of my mind until my sensed began to dull and I slipped into sleep.


	4. Mighty Hammer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Frigga helps Mjolnir learn to fight and a visitor comes to Asgard to ask Odin for help. Also, Thor and Mjolnir need to talk about Jane.
> 
> Oh gosh, this chapter went through SO many revisions! My beta reader and I were working around work and summer school schedules, commenting back and forth non-stop to get this ready. I hope you enjoy it!

I floated back into consciousness and my heart pounded, losing time to sleep was something that had never happened to me as a hammer and would take some time to accustom myself to. I sat up and found myself looking up at the empty bed, expecting Thor’s massive arm to be hanging over the side. Outside, the sun had just risen above the horizon and was sending fiery reflections through the window, blinding me as I made my way to the wash basin. Someone knocked at the door and I called for them to enter, pressing a cloth to my damp face. Frigga glided in, dressed in a sapphire blue dress and carrying my boots in her hand.  
“Good morning, Mjolnir,” she smiled, setting my boots next to the oak chest. “Did you sleep well?”  
“Yes I did, thank you,” I replied, retrieving my boots and slipping them onto my feet.  
“I realized that I had forgotten to bring those in when I returned to my chambers last night,” Frigga explained, “so I decided to bring them with me this morning.”  
“Thank you,” I smiled. “Now all I need to retrieve is my armor.”  
“Your armor?” Frigga inquired.  
“Yes, I had some when I took this form,” I explained, getting to my feet. “Thor removed it, and the pieces are still in his chambers.”  
Frigga gave me a look of mild surprise. “You should have said something,” she exclaimed. “I shall send one of my handmaids to retrieve it for you.”  
“I will go,” I insisted. “Your handmaids have other duties to attend to.”  
She sighed and decided not to argue with me. “I shall see you at breakfast then,” she said softly.  
We left my chambers together and parted a few corridors down. Crisp morning air filled my lungs and my eyes took in the sunbathed view as I made my way to Thor’s chambers. Only when I arrived did I consider the early hour and the Odinson’s reluctance to rise early. I rocked on the balls of my feet and looked up and down the corridor, pondering what to do. He was more than likely still asleep, so it would not be hard for me to retrieve my armor and leave without disturbing him, but at the same time, if Thor was awake, it would be odd for me to enter without knocking first.  
I gathered my resolve, raised my fist, sighed and knocked. Audible movement came from the other side of the door and Thor opened it, looking rather worse for wear. There were large bags under his weary eyes and his golden hair was a tangled mess. I took an involuntary step back, surprised that he was awake and taken aback by his haggard state.  
“Mjolnir,” he said, his breath still thick with the previous night’s mead. He sounded groggy but there was an unmistakable note of irritation in his voice, which I had only heard after he had spent a sleepless night.  
“What are you-?” he inquired.  
“-I came to retrieve my armor,” I explained softly. “May I come in?”  
He stared at me blankly for a moment before realizing that he was in my way and moved aside, muttering his apologies under his breath. His room was aglow, making the evidence of his sleepless night all the more noticeable. The sheets on his bed were twisted and uneven, the pillows were mashed into various shapes and a discarded tankard lay on its side from his attempts to drink himself into slumber.  
“Thor,” I whispered turning to him.  
“I am well, Mjolnir,” he mumbled, stumbling to his wash basin.  
“No, you are not,” I protested, crossing the room.  
“I did not sleep well, but otherwise I am fine,” he reassured me while dumping half of the water in his pitcher onto the table instead of into the basin.  
I gave him a skeptical look before taking the pitcher from him and pouring the remaining water into the basin.  
“You do not need to-,” Thor sighed.  
“Sit,” I ordered, dunking a clean cloth into the water and wringing it out.  
The Odinson reluctantly sat in a chair, a stormy look on his face.  
“Thor, you were so jovial last night,” I said gently, running the cloth across his face, “please tell me what happened to put you in such a state.”  
He was silent.  
“Thor,” I continued, “please, it pains me to see you like this.”  
His shoulder slumped and his eyes closed before meeting mine. “Do not concern yourself with it,” he said kindly. “I will be better tomorrow.”  
“I know you are lying,” I said softly, returning the cloth to its place beside the wash basin, “but I will press you no further.”  
“Thank you,” Thor muttered, rising from the chair. “Your armor is in that corner,” he added, indicating a corner near the far side of his bed.  
“My thanks,” I said, crossing the room.  
Thor began to gather his clothes for the day, his eyes downcast and his movements mindless. I watched him search for his trousers before realizing that he had thrown them over his shoulder while looking for his shirt. He began to remove his trousers, which were the same ones he’d worn to the banquet, before remembering that I was still in the room.  
“Mjolnir,” he said self-consciously.  
“Of course,” I said kindly, gathering my armor. “I shall see you at breakfast.”  
His eyes followed me as he made my way to the door. “Wait,” he said and I paused. “It will be easier if you put on your armor now.”  
“I suppose so,” I sighed, turning to face him.  
He lumbered towards me and I placed my breastplate in his hands so I could put on my wrist guard. Thor’s enormous hands went limp and my breastplate crashed to the floor while his sleep deprived eyes watched vacantly.  
“Odin’s beard!” I exclaimed after the breastplate hit.  
Thor looked at the breastplate mutely.  
“Please, either tell me what is troubling you or return to your bed!” I demanded, securing my wrist guard.  
Thor continued his silence.  
“Thor,” I begged, “what have I done to warrant such treatment from you?”  
“…Nothing, you acted as you should,” he sighed turning away from me.  
“Then…” I pried before realizing the obvious. My presence had been as constant to him as his snoring had been to me.  
“I understand now,” I whispered. “I too was aware of my absence from your chambers.”  
Thor turned his head to look at me and placed a hand on my shoulder. “My intentions were not to treat you so poorly,” he apologized sincerely. “I merely did not wish to burden you with the knowledge that my restless night was a direct result of your absence.”  
“I wish you had trusted me with this information sooner,” I admitted softly.  
“I see that now,” Thor replied. “Can you find it in you to forgive me?”  
I clasped a hand on his shoulder. “I could never remain angry with you for long,” I reassured him.  
Thor gave me a grateful smile.  
“Your hair is fit for a bird to nest in,” I smiled, playing with a few knotted strands.  
Thor looked at me from under his pale lashes, taking in my face before focusing on my fingers, before resting a hand on top mine. There was a sadness in his blue eyes that until now, had been hiding behind his sleep deprivation and determination that I would not see through him. With these defenses gone, I saw the true reason for his sleepless night. My absence had been felt, just as I had felt his, but it was not the cause, merely a contributing factor. I searched his eyes for an answer, but he turned away and walked into the adjoining room, which contained his massive bath. When he returned, he was dressed, but his hair was still fit for the birds and his eyes still whispered words I could not understand.  
“May I help you with your armor?” he inquired, draping his bed clothes over the back of the chair.  
“I would appreciate that,” I replied warmly, my eyes still studying his.  
He moved behind me and I felt his warm breath on the nape of my neck as he positioned the back of my breast plate to match up with where I was holding the front. His left arm pressed against my back, holding the plate in place while his right hand worked to buckle my right shoulder so our work would be easier.  
“…Were you in such a state when Thyrum took me?” I inquired in an attempt to gauge the cause of his internal melancholy.  
Thor gently pulled at the strap he was buckling to make it tight. “That was entirely different,” he replied softly. “You were gone when I awoke and I had to go along with Loki to retrieve you.”  
“Remind me, was that plan one of Loki’s?” I smiled.  
“…It was Heimdall’s,” Thor muttered, moving to my left shoulder.  
“Heimdall?” I laughed.  
“I am inclined to believe he rather enjoyed the spectacle of it,” Thor confessed.  
“Well, it was most certainly an ingenious plan; none in Asgard would have imagined you would wear a wedding dress to save me!” I laughed, smiling at the memory of it. “I will never forget the expression on that ogre’s face when you revealed yourself!”  
“That was one of the more enjoyable moments,” Thor agreed flatly, pulling at my strap with a little more force than was necessary.  
I winced. “If nothing else, you got me back and got to enjoy a wedding feast in the process,” I reminded him.  
“That I did,” Thor said as he finished.  
I turned my head, trying to meet his eyes, but he kept them downcast. Thor knelt beside me and began to buckle my left side, while I studied his face quietly. His fingers worked nimbly and when they finished, I leaned over and kissed the top of his head. He slowly turned his face upwards so our eyes met and I felt his search mine for understanding. I smiled in reply and brushed a few of his stray hairs to the side with the back of my fingers.  
“I am right here,” I whispered. “Where I belong.”  
Thor inclined his head towards my fingers before taking them in his hand and pressing them to his lips. Our eyes met; the sadness in his had diminished.  
“We are late for breakfast,” Thor whispered, still holding my hand.  
“Your mother will not thank me for that,” I replied with a light smile.  
Thor slid his fingers from mine and quickly finished buckling me into my armor.  
“Your hair is still fit for the birds,” I reminded him as he moved to leave.  
He paused and nodded before sitting down in his chair. I retrieved a comb and spent the next five minutes detangling his golden locks; feeling the weight of his gaze as he attempted to understand the meaning behind my actions.  
“We are very late,” I commented as we left.  
“My mother will understand,” Thor reassured me, struggling to keep pace with my rapid strides.  
“She has taken a highly protective liking to me,” I replied, “and is worried for my reputation.”  
“Your reputation?” Thor repeated, half running to catch up.  
“I entered your room over half an hour ago to retrieve my armor,” I explained. “Something which should only have taken five minutes at most.”  
“What does she imagine-?” Thor inquired.  
I slowed my pace and gave him a surprised look.  
“Has she no faith in me?” Thor exclaimed.  
“Rumors are founded on less,” I reminded him, resuming my pace.  
“I have known you in this form for but a day,” Thor protested. “To ask you to come into my bed after such a short amount of time-”  
“-Thor,” I hissed as we neared our destination.  
“You have decided to join us,” Odin said loudly as we entered.  
“Forgive our tardiness, I misplaced Mjolnir’s armor,” Thor said calmly, taking his seat.  
“Thor,” Frigga breathed, noticing the bags under his eyes.  
“It is nothing mother,” he reassured her. “I merely did not get enough rest.”  
The plates of Sif and the Warriors Three had already been cleared away and Odin was picking at the remains of his breakfast disinterestedly, while Frigga sipped from her goblet, her plate already cleared away. Thor glanced at me as he filled his plate and we ate in silence.  
“Shall we begin your training?” Frigga inquired once I had finished.  
“Training?” Odin repeated, looking from me to his wife.  
“Mjolnir has asked me to instruct her in the art of combat,” Frigga explained calmly. “After what transpired yesterday, I agreed.”  
Odin closed his eye in resignation. “Do what you will,” he sighed.  
Frigga met my gaze and we exited together.  
“Thor did not rest well?” she inquired, worried.  
“He has not spent a night without me at his bedside for many years,” I responded lightly. “It will take some time for him to become accustomed to the changes that must come with this form.”  
Frigga considered my words. “I take it you intend to keep this form?”  
“I am quite attached to it,” I smiled enthusiastically.  
“Then we should not waste any more time,” Frigga said, leading me into an open chamber.  
I walked ahead of her, taking in the emptiness of the chamber before turning to her questioningly. “Here? Would the training grounds not be more suited-?”  
Frigga stepped towards me and pulled a short sword from the folds of her dress. I had time to register all this before she spun into her initial attack, her hair and skirts swirling around her while the sword waited patiently in her expert hand. I backed away from her, my eyes focused on the flash of the blade as it caught the morning sun. Frigga stabbed and I had just enough time to parry with my wrist guard before she backed away, awaiting another opening. My eyes darted around the room, memorizing the layout before refocusing on Frigga, who had straightened up and was beginning to circle me intently.  
“You let your guard down,” she commented.  
“I have never had to keep it up,” I replied, imitating the good-natured banter Thor employed in battle.  
Frigga spun into a new attack, which I only just managed to dodge by jumping back several feet.  
“You have good instincts,” Frigga praised, “but that will only get you so far in battle.”  
The blade of her sword appeared at my neck from behind. “There, you will have opponents on all sides,” she continued in my ear.  
The illusion I had been focused on vanished and Frigga lifted her blade from my throat. “Again,” she instructed, walking around me.  
I braced myself for another attack, focusing on her but listening for her footsteps in the event she cast another illusion to distract me.  
“Primarily, you are an offensive weapon,” Frigga reminded me. “You can be used defensively, but that is not what you were forged for.”  
“You are correct,” I smiled. “I was forged to impress your son.”  
Lightning glowed along my fingers as I backed myself against the wall, keeping Frigga in my line of vision the entire time. Then, I released a bolt which arched harmlessly near Frigga, but threw her focus off enough for me to advance while her attention was distracted by the lightning. I knocked her sword from her hand and used the momentum of her attempted escape to sling her onto the ground.  
“Well done,” she said, catching her breath.  
“Thank you,” I smiled, helping her back to her feet.  
“How accurate are you with your lightning?” Frigga inquired, retrieving her sword.  
“In this form… I do not know,” I confessed.  
“You will need to test your accuracy,” Frigga advised.  
I nodded and Frigga brought her sword in a downward arch which bounced off of my breastplate. I stumbled back before charging forward, my hands clenched in fists. Frigga sidestepped me and attempted to use my momentum against me as my punch failed to land, but found that she could not move me.  
“You are not worthy,” I explained, meeting her wide eyes with a smile.  
I threw my full weight into my arm, sending Frigga stumbling back and giving me time to advance, my right fist raised. Frigga registered my intended attack and raised her short sword instinctually. A familiar clang of metal against uru sounded as the blade of Frigga’s sword impacted the lower part of my bicep. Frigga’s face paled and she slowly removed the blade, causing a thin red ribbon of blood to trickle down my arm.  
“Mjolnir,” she breathed, “forgive me.”  
“Injuries are bound to occur when training for battle,” I smiled, turning my arm so she could better examine the wound.  
She looked at the wound nervously before looking up at me and then back at the wound, her eyebrows twitching together inquiringly.  
“You did not cut me deeply,” I reassured her.  
“Mjolnir, I think it would be best if I took you to the Healing Room,” Frigga replied, her voice thin.  
“What is troubling you?” I inquired.  
Frigga placed her hands over the wound. “I would like for the Healers to examine you,” she replied.  
She kept her hands around my wound as we walked to the Healing Room in silence, and only released me after one of the Healers had instructed me to sit down.  
“What happened to cause this wound?” the Healer inquired.  
“Training accident,” I shrugged.  
The Healer looked at Frigga, who nodded before whispering in the Healer’s ear. She looked at me and then began to examine the wound. I had seen this Healer many times before when Thor or the Warriors Three had needed battle injuries tended to. She had a kind voice and an even temperament, which had served her well when dealing with an injured Thor. Her hair was chestnut and hung to her waist and her eyes matched the blue of her Healer robes.  
“You are Mjolnir, are you not?” she inquired.  
“I am,” I replied with a smile.  
“Come with me,” she said.  
She led me to the Soul Forge and asked me to lay down. A transparent, orange image of my body appeared above me with my cardiovascular and skeletal systems visible. The Healer pressed a series of buttons and brought my skeleton into greater focus before concentrating in on the site of my injury.  
“It is as you thought, my queen,” the Healer reported.  
Frigga stepped to the Healer’s side and examined the readouts. “Yes it is,” she whispered.  
“May I know?” I inquired nervously.  
“There is nothing for you to be concerned about,” the Healer reassured me. “I scanned your skeleton and found that it is entirely comprised of uru. Your skin broke, but your bone stopped the blade.”  
I sat up. “I am comprised of uru?” I asked for clarification.  
The Healer nodded and I contemplated this information. I had felt the elemental strength of uru in my arms since I had taken this form, and had utilized it when fighting the Bildgsnipe, but I had given it no more thought than that. However, now that I was confronted with the information, I felt as if I had subconsciously known all along and the Healer had merely confirmed my suspicions.  
The Healer bustled around Frigga and applied a cream to my wound, pulling me out of my thoughts. “It will heal completely in a few hours,” she informed me.  
“Thank you,” I replied politely before returning my attention to Frigga. “Shall we continue?”  
“Yes,” she smiled, “we should focus on your technique before we proceed any further.”  
I thanked the Healer and slid off of the Soul Forge before returning to the training room with Frigga.  
“You have good instincts,” she praised, walking to the center of the room. “However, that will only serve you when fighting offensively. While that is primarily what you were made for, you cannot rely upon it anymore if you truly intend to keep this form.”  
She turned and looked at me, her eyes searching mine for any sign of doubt. I looked back at her, knowing that she was right. To step onto the field of battle as flesh would be different than being carried in by Thor. He taunted and jested until his opponent was provoked, or he simply waited for them to attack before answering their challenge with a well-placed blow from me. Now that I could engage in battles of my own will, my opponents would no longer charge into my path, but circle and attempt to render me helpless. If I relied upon my instincts alone, against opponents with years of training and complex strategy, I would know the sting of their blades and crippling defeat. This was why I had come to Frigga; everything I needed to achieve victory was locked inside me, but only she could teach me how to reach it.  
“I came to you so that I may be effective in this form,” I replied, marching forward until Frigga was within striking distance. “Yesterday, my instincts were the reason I was able to defeat the Bildgsnipe and her pup, but I was not in control.”  
“No, you were not,” Frigga agreed. “The uru with which you were forged is your greatest asset in battle and learning how to harness it will be your greatest strength.”  
Frigga spun towards me, her right fist cutting through the air. I raised my left arm instinctively and easily deflected her blow before mimicking her attack myself. My fist cut through Frigga’s illusion and I was thrown off balance by the absence of her solid form.  
“You cannot fight with the same techniques as Sif and Thor,” Frigga said from over my left shoulder. “When they approach an opponent, they gauge the strength and skill they are facing and decide in an instant how best to counter it.”  
I rounded on her, arcing my left leg through the air, only to have it pass through another illusion, causing me to stumble from the access momentum.  
“You are far stronger than any opponent you will encounter,” Frigga reminded me from over my right shoulder. “What you lack, are the skill necessary to use that to your advantage. You will approach your opponents without a visible weapon, which will place them on their guard. They will anticipate hand to hand combat, a concealed weapon, or even magic.”  
I closed my eyes and slowly turned towards the sound of Frigga’s voice, listening intently for her delicate step and near-silent breathing to guide my next attack.  
“All of those things are at your disposal,” she added. “Utilize them.”  
I paused considered her words. An unorthodox idea entered my mind that neither Thor nor I never would have considered when I was a hammer, but was almost obvious now. I smiled and summoned my lightning, before releasing it in small measures instead of in one concentrated bolt. The electrical currents shot across the floor blindly until one made contact with the sole of Frigga’s slipper and signaled to the others a point of convergence. I opened my eyes and met the soft blue ones of the Queen of Asgard before sending a thin bolt past her left ear.  
She smiled at me and I momentarily saw something of Thor behind the eyes they shared. “Mjolnir, that was quite impressive,” she praised warmly.  
“Thank you, my queen,” I replied, politely inclining my head to her.  
She took a step towards me and I raised my wrist guard without blinking; easily impeding the upward arch of her short sword’s blade. Frigga nodded approvingly and we shared a smile before relaxing our stances.  
“That is enough, I think, for now,” she mused. “An early midday meal will serve us well; perhaps with the Warriors Three and Lady Sif?”  
“That would be most agreeable,” I replied with a smile.  
Frigga smiled back and we made our way to the training grounds where the soldiers of Asgard were at their morning exercises. Among them were Sif and the Warriors Three, who were resting from a long session when we approached. They politely greeted Frigga and welcomed me with smiles of comradery.  
“It would be our pleasure!” Fandral exclaimed eagerly at Frigga’s invitation before adding humbly, “My queen.”  
Frigga gave him an amused smile. “Shall we?” she inquired.  
We agreed and fell in step behind her, allowing her to lead us to the dining hall.  
“How goes your training?” Sif inquired softly as we walked.  
“It goes well,” I replied smiling.  
“We shall be the judge of that!” Fandral proclaimed, dashing ahead of me and walking backwards as he spoke. “As the finest warriors in all of Asgard, we challenge you to a duel!”  
“You speak for all of us, do you?” Sif inquired with a raised eyebrow as he made his way to her side.  
“I would speak for myself,” Hogun grumbled, appearing at my right and matching my stride. “It would be an honor,” he continued respectfully to me.  
“Thank you Hogun,” I smiled politely.  
“I am with Fandral,” Volstagg chimed in from over my left shoulder.  
“As am I,” Sif affirmed, ignoring Fandral’s look of exasperation at her willingness to join.  
“After our meal then,” I smiled at them.  
We entered the dining hall and had just taken our seats when the doors opened and Thor entered. He appeared to be less exhausted than before and smiled as our eyes met. The Prince of Asgard crossed the room, muttering something about a council meeting he had just returned from before taking his seat beside me.  
“How is training?” he inquired, loading food onto his plate.  
“Training is going well,” I replied with a smile.  
Thor glanced over at his mother for confirmation.  
“She possessed many natural talents,” Frigga informed him. “Additionally, she adapts to her surroundings quickly and makes good use of them.”  
Her son chuckled. “I am pleased to hear she has proven herself an apt pupil,” he smiled.  
“I still demand my duel,” Fandral chimed in.  
“You shall have it,” I promised.  
“What is this?” Thor inquired, his interest caught.  
“Fandral has challenged Mjolnir to a duel to prove her skill as a warrior,” Sif informed him dryly.  
Thor regarded Fandral with raised eyebrows. “You question her abilities after hearing such praise from my mother?” he mused with a light smile. “You, who have seen Mjolnir in battle countless times?”  
“I have seen you wield her countless times,” Fandral returned, mimicking Thor’s smile. “I have as yet to see her step onto the field of battle.”  
“Mjolnir, if you will permit me, I would like to observe this duel so that I may speak first hand of how Fandral fell at your hand,” Thor said half-seriously.  
Volstagg and I laughed and Sif managed a chuckle. “Naturally, you are welcome,” I smiled.  
We ate quickly and returned to the chamber Frigga had set aside for my training. Once we had entered, Thor, Hogun, Volstagg, Sif and Frigga stepped to the side while Fandral and I made our way to the center of the room.  
“Shall we begin?” I challenged with a smile.  
“We shall,” Fandral responded loudly, unsheathing his foil, Fimbuldraugr. “Prepare yourself, Mjolnir!”  
Sif raised her eyebrows at him and Volstagg chuckled.  
“You will need more than that to best her,” Hogun advised from where he stood between Thor and Volstagg.  
“We shall see about that,” Fandral smiled, sliding into his stance.  
He held Fimbuldraugr’s flat blade aloft with one hand, the other placed behind him as a counterbalance to the foil’s weight. I bent my knees slightly and met this challenging gaze with a serene smile; the dashing fool was not going to last long.  
We held our stances for a few minutes, waiting for the other to make the first move, until Fandral minutely raised Fimbuldragr before stepping into a fluid opening thrust. I followed the tip of the blade with my eyes and redirected it off my wrist guard while simultaneously slipping past Fandral’s defenses to land a soft blow on his chest. The dashing warrior stumbled back before regaining his balance and raising his foil aloft, his eyes hyper-focused on my frame. He lunged a second time, but dropped to his knees before I could deflect Fimbuldragr and utilized my momentary confusion to strike my left armpit with the flat of his foil. I winced in pain and Fandral rose to his feet, resting his foil’s blade on the nape of my neck.  
“Do not take this poorly,” he said kindly, “I would hate to see you unhappy.”  
I smirked; I would not allow myself to be bested so easily. I straightened, giving Fandral the illusion of surrender before spinning on my heel and knocking Fimbuldragr aside with my wrist guard. Fandral’s eyes widened and I pushed him to the ground, one hand on his throat, the other on his sword-arm.  
“Do you yield?” I inquired.  
“It appears I have no choice,” Fandral muttered, attempting in vein to remove his arm from my grasp.  
I smirked and released him.  
“Well fought,” Fandral praised as I helped him to his feet.  
“Indeed,” I agreed, returning his smile.  
I glanced at Thor and found that he, Hogun, Volstagg and Sif were all smiling approvingly, while Frigga gave me a simple nod.  
“Who is next?” I inquired.  
Volstagg stepped forward, swinging his battle axe at me, and only missed Fandral because of the precision of his aim.  
“Volstagg!” Fandral exclaimed as he hurried out of our way. “You should be more careful!”  
“Someone is hungry,” I taunted, dodging another swing of his axe.  
Volstagg’s axe posed a new set of challenges; the interval it took for him to swing was enough to give me time to react, but he could also avoid my attacks quickly enough to keep me from making any real progress in defeating him. Finally, I resorted to blinding him with a lightning strike, giving me enough time to circle around and lock my arm around his neck.  
“I yield,” he rasped.  
I smiled triumphantly and released him.  
“You appear to be reasonably prepared,” Hogun grunted, stepping forward as Volstagg rejoined the others.  
“Volstagg is a bit slow after a meal,” Fandral jested.  
“I am not!” Volstagg protested.  
“You kept me at bay,” I reminded him before turning my attention back to Hogun. “Be you ready?”  
The grim warrior nodded and dropped into his stance with his mace, Hridgandr, at the ready.  
“I wonder if your mace is sentient, as I was,” I smiled curiously.  
Fandral and Volstagg chuckled, recognizing Thor’s pre-battle jests, which he smiled at, while Sif and Frigga regarded me with disapproving demeanors.  
“Knowing that I was sentient opens a great many lines of inquiry,” I continued. “I wonder the same about Fimbuldraugr.”  
Fandral paled while Hogun looked at me skeptically before swinging Hridgandr at my torso. I dodged his initial attack and parried the second with my wrist guard, which I then used to push him back, giving me time to step outside the reach of Hridgandr.  
“Is that all you’ve got?” I taunted.  
Hogun sighed and tossed a long dagger at me, which I easily deflected. However, in doing so, my attention was diverted and Hogun was able to close the gap between us, opening me up to an attack from his mace. I did not have time to react and several of the mace’s spikes cut into my left cheek, tearing at the skin, but bouncing off of the uru bone. Frigga put a hand to her mouth and Sif took a step forward, her eyes wide, but I ignored them; the battle was not over yet. I wiped my cheek with the back of my hand, smearing the blood into a dark streak of war paint.  
“Not bad,” I admitted, smiling with the uninjured half of my face.  
I charged Hogun, my right fist raised, which I allowed him to counter with the handle of his mace, giving me the opening I had hoped for. With Hridgandr and Hogun’s weight on his left, my left fist was able to lightly strike the unprotected right side of Hogun’s face. He stumbled back, a mixed look of surprise and pain covering his face.  
“Are you hurt?” I said quickly, worried that I had struck him with more force than intended.  
“You will have to hit me much harder than that,” he replied, “however, I do not think I would survive it.”  
I smiled at him and he nodded approvingly.  
“If Hogun is so easily defeated, I demand a second duel,” Fandral declared loudly.  
“She bested you,” Hogun muttered, “accept it with dignity.”  
“When have you ever known him to do so?” Thor inquired as Fandral stepped forward.  
“I will show you no mercy,” Fandral informed me. “Although, I would hate to further damage your lovely face.”  
“I am a hammer,” I replied with a half-smile. “My face should not be pretty. If it is, I am not hitting hard enough.”  
Fandral raised his eyebrows at me. “I shall not hold back then.”  
“Very well,” I nodded. “Unfortunately, I will have to; I would not want to be the cause of the creation of the Warriors Two.”  
Thor chuckled and I felt my face warm.  
“She is rather taken with your strategy of jesting during battle,” Fandral muttered to Thor as he slid into his stance.  
“Indeed, I am,” I smiled.  
“It suits you,” Thor praised, glancing at me.  
“Are you going to battle with your wits or your steel?” Volstagg called.  
“Fists,” I replied before charging Fandral.  
He took a step back and waited until I was within striking distance before sliding Fimbuldraugr between my fist and my neck, forcing me to arch my back to avoid the edge of his blade. However, this also put him in the precarious position of having his arm in the ideal location for me to redirect his weight and force him to the ground. With my back arched the way it was, such a counterattack would have been almost impossible if I were battling someone worthy. Thankfully, Fandral was not. I grabbed his right shoulder with my left hand and braced his right arm with mine before swinging his arm over my head and pushing his shoulder towards the ground.  
“Do you yield?” I inquired.  
“How did you…?” he coughed, regaining the wind I had knocked out of him.  
I smiled and helped him to his feet.  
“You fought well,” I said earnestly.  
“Thank you Mjolnir,” he replied sincerely.  
“Perhaps I should spar with you as well,” Thor suggested with a smile.  
“Now that, I must see,” Volstagg insisted.  
“It will be quite a spectacle,” Sif agreed.  
“I am sure it shall,” Thor smiled. “However, you must excuse me for a moment; I am without a weapon.”  
My face warmed and I smiled at him as he left. When he returned, he was clutching a great, single bladed, battle axe in his right hand.  
“It will have to do,” he shrugged before sliding into his stance. “Be thou ready, Mjolnir?”  
I smiled and raised my fists. “When have I ever been unprepared for glorious battle?”  
Thor chuckled. “Verily, never,” he replied approvingly.  
I lunged at him and easily avoided the swing of his axe, both of us knowing that neither had intended to land a blow on the other. This was merely a formality; a testing of our reflexes and skills before the real battle would begin. Sif and the Warrior Three had been wise enough to do the same, gauging my abilities before fully launching their attack, but this felt slower, more deliberate; less of a melee and more of a standoff between the god of thunder and his hammer of lightning.  
Thor swung his axe and I countered with my wrist guard, before shifting my weight and throwing him off balance. As Thor stumbled back, I leapt into the air, my right fist raised; the Odinson’s eyes widened and he jumped back to avoid my blow. I had anticipated this and pushed off of the ground, propelling myself forward with my left fist leading. Thor raised his axe and deflected my left fist, before halting the secondary blow from my right fist by catching my wrist in his left hand. He flipped his axe and impacted my stomach with the handle before slinging me over his shoulder with ease. His massive hand released mine and I was sent flying through the air. An innate instinct took over and I realized that I could control the direction of my flight.  
“Throwing me was not a wise move,” I taunted, circling above his head.  
“So it would seem,” Thor conceded, watching me with his eyes while absentmindedly flipping his axe.  
I smiled and sent a bolt of lightning in his general direction, which he easily dodged before throwing his axe, blade over handle at me in reply. I swooped out of the blade’s path and turned to give Thor a triumphant smile when his barrel chest slammed into me, forcing me to the ground. I landed on my back with Thor’s right knee resting on my diaphragm, his left on my right arm and his right arm pinning my left.  
“Pity you tossed your axe,” I mused.  
Thor’s eyes widened and I flipped him over, assuming the same position he had. “Do you yield?” I inquired good-naturedly.  
“Were I anyone else, I would have no choice,” Thor replied kindly.  
“You have not answered my question,” I insisted with a smile.  
“I yield,” Thor confirmed, returning my smile.  
I nodded and helped him to his feet.  
“Mjolnir, I would be honored to fight at your side,” Thor said sincerely.  
“Thank you,” I said, bowing my head.  
A sword blade appeared at my throat. “Now, you face me,” Sif said in my ear.  
“Very well,” I smiled.  
Sif removed her blade from my neck and I turned to face her. Sif’s double sword was poised like a spear in one hand, with her shield ready to defend in the other. We locked eyes and began to circle one another, looking for an opening in the other’s defenses. Sif had the advantage of being able to study my attacks all morning, and while I had seen her on the battlefield many a time, Thor had never sparred with her.  
After a little while, I realized Sif had no plans of initializing the attack and decided to do so myself. I charged her and she lowered her double-ended sword so it scrapped off my breastplate while her shield impacted my uninjured cheek to little effect.  
“It will take more than that, Sif,” Fandral called as we backed away from each other.  
Sif was one of Asgard’s greatest warriors, arguably even more so than the Warriors Three. She knew how to wait out an opponent and when to preemptively strike. I realized then that I would not be able to defeat her with conventional tactics. My only remaining option was to summon lightning, which I knew would only have a minor effect on her, considering that Sif had seen me use that trick before, but it was the only tactic of mine she could not fully account for.  
Lightning glowed in my hand and I hummed along to the familiar symphony before releasing it to blind Sif. She ducked her head behind her shield while I slipped behind her, my breath slow and steady. There was a small alcove behind her, which I slipped into and scaled by bracing myself against the wall. Once the blinding electricity had dissipated, Sif raised her head and scanned the room for me while I looked desperately down at Thor, Frigga and the Warriors Three, silently begging them to not give my position away with their upturned gazes.  
Sif slowly advanced down the room, away from me and my mind conceived a new plan of attack. I slid my feet as far back in the alcove as I could while still maintaining my balance, and brought my hands forward before launching myself headfirst, my fingers interlocking to form a single fist. My heart skipped and I felt a momentary flutter of panic as I began my descent, realizing that I was going to land much closer to Sif than I had intended. Her warrior’s ears detected my presence and she retreated seconds before I landed. My combined fists impacted the floor, sending a shock wave throughout the room, throwing everyone off their balance. I utilized this chaos to advance towards Sif, hooking my right arm around her neck before she had time to fully recover.  
“I yield,” she said, her voice trembling mildly.  
“Mjolnir,” Fandral breathed as I released Sif.  
I look up; each of the Warriors Three were staring at me with varying degrees of shock on their faces, Frigga’s hands were covering her mouth and Thor’s face was pale.  
“Sif…I am sorry…” I breathed nervously, looking from one face to the next. “…I did not intend…”  
“Mjolnir,” Thor said stepping towards me.  
He placed a reassuring hand on my shoulder and I met his gaze, finding only warmth in it.  
“Sif, are you unhurt?” I heard Fandral whisper as she joined them.  
“Did you see what she did?” Volstagg inquired softly.  
“You would have received the full force of that, had you not moved,” Hogun informed Sif.  
“If you are going to speak ill of Mjolnir, do not do so in whispers,” Thor said loudly.  
“Thor,” Frigga said, stepping forward, “may I speak with you?”  
Thor placed a protective hand on my bicep. “Mother, if this concerns Mjolnir I would ask for you to speak to her and not to me.”  
I looked up at Thor, his blue eyes were cold and his barrel chest was heaving. Sif and the Warriors Three silently and respectfully left the room and Frigga took another step towards us.  
“Mjolnir,” she said softly, “Hogun is not wrong; had Sif not reacted in time-”  
“-Sif did react in time,” Thor cut in sharply.  
“I am aware of that Thor,” Frigga calmly replied. “However, -”  
“-I could have seriously injured any of the Warriors Three,” I reminded them, “and it all would have been accidental.”  
“You could never harm one of our friends. Never.” Thor insisted, placing both of his hands on my shoulders.  
“They will question that now,” I reminded him, “they have been reminded of the power I possess.”  
“You give them too little credit,” Thor said gently.  
“Did you see their faces?” I returned. “Did you see how they looked upon me with fear? I am a weapon; I am not meant to be used gently, and I have just given them a grim reminder of that.”  
“You are more than a weapon,” Thor insisted. “You know this, Mjolnir.”  
I looked at Frigga. “A hammer can build or destroy; you and the Warriors Three now fear the latter.”  
“You can chose what you build and destroy,” Thor protested.  
“Mjolnir, your abilities are not unknown to the Warriors Three or myself,” Frigga said simply. “You merely-”  
“-Mother, would you kindly leave us?” Thor inquired softly.  
Frigga looked at her trueborn son, searching his face for a hint of his plans. “Very well,” she said kindly.  
“Mjolnir,” Thor said once she had gone, “I beg you, please listen to me.”  
“Thor,” I sighed, “you know what I am capable of as they never will. Do you doubt that I could have harmed Sif? That, with the power I wield, I could easily destroy the Nine Realms?”  
“I do not,” he whispered, “but I know that you never could, Mjolnir.”  
“Power corrupts,” I reminded him.  
Thor closed his eyes, a wounded look crossing his face. “Mjolnir, do you believe that I have not thought this way? That I have carried you for as long as I have without knowing the danger I would pose to the Realms were I to lose myself?”  
I averted my eyes. “Forgive me,” I whispered. “I know that you have long wrestled with this.”  
“Indeed, I have,” Thor confirmed, “but I cannot allow such fears to guide my actions.”  
“Thank you for your council,” I said sincerely.  
“You shall always have it, Mjolnir,” Thor insisted, kissing my forehead.  
“…Why do you keep doing that?” I inquired into his chest.  
“So you know that I love you,” Thor replied simply.  
Our eyes met; his brimming with fear and vulnerability at the sentiments he had vocalized.  
“You love me?” I inquired gently.  
“I have always loved you,” Thor affirmed. “My first thought when I was banished to earth was of you. I knew not where you were, or what father had done with you. When I learned that you shared in my banishment, I set out immediately to retrieve you.”  
We shared a weak smile, remembering his attempts to lift me in the rain before being taken into S.H.I.E.L.D custody.  
“You have been at my side for so long, but I have never truly known you until yesterday,” Thor continued. “Mjolnir…I was not entirely truthful with you earlier. I spent a sleepless night because I feared that you would return to your previous form before I could tell you how I feel about you.”  
“How do you feel about me?” I pressed. “You have said that you love me, but in what way?”  
“I lost many hours of sleep pondering that very question,” Thor admitted. “Were you to remain in this form…I would ask you to be my queen.”  
“Your queen?” I breathed.  
“Only if you would take me as your king,” Thor whispered.  
“You have always been my king,” I smiled, wrapping my arms around his chest.  
I felt the warmth of his lips on the top of my head and the security of his arms around me and everything melted away. All I knew for a long time was his warmth and his musk and that he was experiencing the same sensation.  
An old Asgardian lullaby, which Frigga had sung to Thor and Loki as children, drifted into my mind and I began to hum it softly to myself. Thor took my hands and placed them so that one was resting on his shoulder and the other in his. His feet slid across the floor and I moved mine back to avoid his boots. Thor’s deep voice began to hum with me as we continued to move across the floor in what I now realized was a dance.  
I vaguely remembered Frigga scolding Thor for not wanting to learn to dance, but I had never seen him do so, even at feasts. Loki had been the dancer of the two, although to my knowledge, he had only done so once. He had preferred to stand at the edge of the hall where no one could see him, but when he had danced, there was not a single eye not turned upon him. Thor did not move with Loki’s fluid grace, but he was not as inept as one would have thought, only stepping on my boot once.  
I looked up and a pair of soft blue eyes met mine while a smile passed between us. “I was not expecting this,” I confessed.  
“It is not something I do often,” Thor agreed.  
“I like it,” I smiled.  
Thor returned my smile before adding seriously, “Do not tell Sif.”  
I laughed. “Your secret is safe with me,” I promised.  
We took a few more steps before mutely, and mutually deciding to end our impromptu dance. Nervous smiled crossed our faces and our hands dropped to our sides while our eyes scanned the room, searching for something to transition the conversation to.  
“We should find my mother and make our apologies,” Thor whispered after a long pause.  
“Yes we should,” I agreed.  
We walked out of the training room together, deciding to begin our search around the throne room. Odin was holding open court that afternoon and it would have been odd for Frigga to be absent from his side now that she was not training me. However, as we neared the doors to Odin’s throne, we found them closed and under guard.  
“What is the meaning of this?” Thor inquired of the guards.  
“The All-father is engaged in a private audience, my prince,” the guard on our left explained.  
“With whom?” Thor pressed.  
“The am-”  
“-Silence,” the second guard cut in, “it is not for us to tell whom the All-father meets with.”  
The first guard bowed his head. “Forgive me, my prince,” he said softly.  
I turned my head to better examine his face. “I have never seen your face before, you are new, are you not?” I said gently.  
“Y-Yes, Lady Mjolnir,” the guard said nervously.  
“Mjolnir, if you please,” I correctly kindly.  
The guard’s face paled. “Forgive me, I-I-.”  
“There is no need,” I reassured him.  
He relaxed sheepishly.  
“You have been given a position of great responsibility,” Thor informed him. “Only the most honorable of guards are entrusted to guard my father’s throne. This assignment speaks greatly of your character.”  
The guard’s eyes shone. “Thank you, my prince,” he said, attempting in vein to mask his enthusiasm.  
“Come Mjolnir, we will search for my mother elsewhere,” Thor said, turning to me.  
“As you wish, my prince,” I replied.  
We left the guards and turned the nearest corner before stopping.  
“‘My prince’?” Thor whispered.  
“It was appropriate at the time,” I smiled before turning my gaze back towards the throne room. “I wish to know who has sought an audience with the All-father.”  
“As do I,” Thor admitted. “It must be a matter of great importance for father to post guards.”  
I nodded, attempting to make sense of what the new guard had said before his partner had interrupted. “Ambassador,” I whispered, looking up at Thor. “That is what the guard was about it, I am sure of it.”  
“Ambassador?” Thor repeated. “Father was not expecting one this day.”  
“Which is why the doors are closed; it is an urgent matter which can only be discussed with the All-father himself,” I explained.  
Thor smiled at me. “How clever you are,” he praised. “We have only to determine which ambassador has sought an audience with my father.”  
“Vanaheim?” I suggested.  
“Perhaps,” Thor conceded, “or Alfheim.”  
“Alfheim has kept its affairs separate from Asgard for years,” I reminded him.  
“Perhaps today marks the end of that,” Thor whispered grimly. “With the Bifrost gone, much has happened in the Nine Realms that we have been unaware of.”  
I nodded in agreement. “Maybe it is best that we are not a part of this audience.”  
Thor furrowed his brow at me. “We protected the realms by destroying the Bifrost,” he insisted. “Now that it is repaired, it falls to us to remedy the chaos that has ensued because of our actions.”  
“You have spoken as a king,” I smiled.  
“A king who was about to suggest that we find a way to listen in on their conversation,” Thor chuckled.  
“How do you propose we go about our eavesdropping?” I smiled mischievously.  
“When we were young, Loki showed me a secret way into the throne room,” Thor whispered. “The way is small, but you should be able to fit.”  
I nodded. “Lead the way.”  
Thor showed me to a passage hidden behind a false part of wall. I regarded it skeptically before removing my armor and sliding through the opening on my hands and knees. Thor stepped before the opening, so it was hidden from passersby, but throwing me into darkness in the process. Thankfully, the passage was smooth, so my progress was unimpeded. As I crawled, my mind attempted to conjure images of Loki leading Thor along. Loki had been a small child, so this passage would have been easy for him to traverse, but Thor had possessed a larger build even then, which would have made it more difficult for him to follow his trickster brother.  
“…years, now you come to Asgard, seeking my help?” Odin’s voice echoed nearby.  
I slowed my pace, reaching a hand blindly in front of me until it rested on cool metal. Both of my hands searched blindly until my left hand discovered a lever which opened the concealed door into the throne room.  
“Yes, All-father,” a cool, female voice replied as I cautiously peered out from behind the door. I had emerged behind Odin’s throne, but did not dare leave the darkness of the passage. “My queen would not have sent me here, were it not a matter which could be dealt with without Asgard’s aid,” the female voice continued.  
“Has Alfheim fallen into such a state of disarray that it cannot defend itself from the likes of the Marauders?” Odin inquired.  
“We have been defending ourselves, All-father,” the woman, who must have been the Alfheim ambassador, returned pointedly. “The actions of your son have ensured that for many months.”  
I bowed my head in shame.  
“I will not deny that the actions of my son have placed the Realms in great peril,” Odin replied. “However, by destroying the Bifrost, he was able to save Jotunheim from destruction.”  
“Jotunheim was all but destroyed after your war,” the ambassador returned. “What your son saved was nothing more than ruins.”  
“Thor showed concern for the wellbeing of the inhabitants of another Realm,” Odin said coolly. “He set aside his selfish passions and chose to save innocent lives from genocide.”  
“Odin All-father,” the ambassador sighed impatiently, “I have delivered to you the words of my queen, will you hear her plea and give aid to Alfheim?”  
Odin was silent, likely considering the future he could see thanks to the sacrifice of his right eye. “Your people have the support of Asgard,” he said slowly.  
“Thank you, All-father,” the ambassador replied evenly.  
I hurried back to Thor, hoping to return before the ambassador left the throne room. He was still blocking the entrance with his cloak when I reached the opening and I had to tug at it to alert him of my presence.  
“What have you learned?” he whispered, helping me to my feet.  
I quickly recounted to him what I had heard while slipping back into my armor, and had just concluded when the doors to the throne room opened. Thor and I peered around the corner, catching a glimpse of the ambassador as she marched down the hall.  
She had a high widow’s peak, brought into relief by the long, chestnut braid hanging down her back. Her skin was the color of fresh milk and her lips the color of the pink wildflowers that grew outside the walls of Asgard. She wore a long, flowing white gown, embellished with gold and silver thread and crystals found only on Alfheim, which flashed blindingly in the afternoon sun.  
Odin appeared at the door of the door to the throne room shortly after the ambassador had disappeared from sight and approached us without hesitation.  
“A private audience is meant to be just that,” he growled, glaring at me.  
“Forgive my curiosity,” I said half-sincerely with a smile.  
“Is this what you intend to do with the freedom I allow you?” the All-father snapped.  
“Should Thor not have been in attendance during your audience with the ambassador?” I returned. “As a show of your continued support for him, now that the Bifrost is repaired and trade and transport between Realms is restored?”  
“Tomorrow morning you will depart for Alfheim to give aid to the Light Elves,” Odin informed his son, electing to ignore me. “Their ambassador has requested that only a small number of Asgardians be allowed to accompany you, so choose your companions well.”  
“I am certain Sif and the Warriors Three will wish to accompany me,” Thor replied, “along with Mjolnir.”  
“Out of the question,” Odin returned.  
“This day, I have defeated Sif, the Warriors Three, Frigga and Thor in combat,” I informed him evenly. “What more proof do you require that I am capable of defending the Nine Realms in this form?”  
“I swore to you upon my own name that I would allow you the same freedoms as I did when you were in the form of a hammer,” he muttered, reluctantly acknowledging me.  
“Thank you, All-father,” I said sincerely before turning to Thor. “We must inform Sif and the Warriors Three.”  
“They are on the training field,” Odin informed us.  
“Thank you, father,” Thor smiled.  
We left the All-father and made our way to the field.  
“My father truly spoke well of me to the ambassador?” Thor inquired as we walked.  
“Indeed he did,” I smiled. “He all but called you a worthy king.”  
Thor returned my smile and we paused to watch Sif defeat a guard before calling her and the Warriors Three around us.  
“Alfheim?” Fandral repeated once we had informed them of our destination.  
“The Realms must be in great chaos for Alfheim to ask for our aid,” Hogun muttered.  
I glanced at him, trying to read what was hidden behind his solemn visage. Vanaheim had been as safe as Alfheim before the Bifrost was destroyed; now Alfheim sent an ambassador to inform us of overwhelming attacks from Marauders.  
“We leave at dawn,” Thor informed our friends. “Bring only what is necessary with you.”  
They nodded and left us to prepare for the coming battle.  
“We have as yet to apologize to your mother,” I reminded him as we walked back inside.  
“That will not be necessary,” Frigga’s warm voice said as she approached from my right.  
“Mother,” Thor said politely.  
She smiled at him before turning her gaze upon me. “Forgive me, Mjolnir,” she said sincerely.  
“My queen, it is I who should be begging your forgiveness,” I replied, bowing my head. “I am powerful, and when misused, dangerous. I placed your life and the lives of my friends in danger, and for that, I most humbly beg your forgiveness.”  
Frigga placed her hands in mine. “Such soft hands,” she mused, “filled with so much power.”  
Our eyes met and an understanding passed between us.  
“My queen,” I said respectfully.  
She nodded and turned to Thor. “There will be a banquet tonight,” she informed him, “I expect to see you there more than I did last night.”  
“Of course, mother,” Thor replied solemnly.  
“Both of you,” she added over her shoulder as she walked off.  
I smiled.  
“A banquet on the eve of battle,” Thor mused happily.  
“My first in this form,” I reminded him, sharing in his enthusiasm.  
“Then we shall drink heartily!” Thor declared, clapping a hand on my shoulder.  
***  
The night was at its height by the time Thor was ready to leave the banquet table, a tankard still clutched in one hand and the other draped over my shoulder as a sign of comradery. The god of thunder was famous for his ability to hold his drink, but it still amazed me how much he could stomach without succumbing to sickness.  
“Mjolnir!” he cried loudly in my ear. “Tomorrow, we journey into glorious battle!”  
“Verily!” I returned enthusiastically.  
“The Marauders will surrender to us the moment you step onto the field of battle!” Thor continued, raising the tankard to his lips.  
“May I at least defeat one?” I teased, pretending to whine.  
Thor stopped in his tracks and looked down at me with a baffled look. “Of course you shall!” he insisted. “Why ever would you not?”  
“A jest,” I smiled reassuringly.  
Thor chuckled loudly. “A jest!” he boomed, taking another drink of mead.  
“To bed,” I insisted. “You will need your strength.”  
“I shall,” he agreed, drinking deeply.  
I glanced over my shoulder and saw that we were alone in the hallway. “It will not do for me to be away from you the night before a battle,” I said, pulling him along.  
“Mjolnir, what are you suggesting?” Thor inquired, his voice sober.  
“You know full well,” I replied.  
“You are a maiden,” Thor protested as we turned down the hall to his chambers.  
“Quite,” I agreed with a smile, “but I am also your hammer, and it will not do for me to leave your side when you are at your most vulnerable. I did so last night, and had Asgard been attacked, you would have been useless. I cannot allow that to happen a second time, not on the eve of battle.”  
“For only this night, I shall allow it,” he agreed, returning my smile.  
We entered his chambers and I deposited him in his chair before returning order to his sheets and pillows.  
“I do not have bed clothes for you,” Thor commented while I worked.  
“I do not care much for them,” I replied, fixing his pillow. “I slept in my clothes last night.”  
Thor rose from the chair and grabbed one of the pillows I had just straightened.  
“If you are intending to spend the night on the floor, I urge you to reconsider,” I scolded lightly.  
He hesitated, the pillow dangling halfway between the bed and the floor. “Rumors are founded on less,” he reminded me.  
I sighed and stepped up onto the bed so he had to look up to meet my gaze. “You are a man of your word,” I smiled, cupping his face in my hands. “I am not worried.”  
Thor wrapped his arms around me and pulled me closer to him.  
“My queen,” he whispered, pressing his forehead against mine.  
He lifted me off of the bed and gently lowered me back to the floor, stealing a kiss from my lips as my boots touched the ground. Thor slid his arms to my waist and smiled lovingly at me while I looked up into his blue eyes and watched them shine.  
“Thor,” I said levelly. “What of Jane?”  
“Jane?” he repeated, taken aback.  
“You spent last night debating if you should return to her, and now you kiss me as if she means nothing to you,” I returned, removing his hands from my waist. “You have all but formally asked me to be your queen after knowing me little longer than you have known Jane. Thor, I cannot accept your love until I know your feelings for her.”  
Thor considered my words and spent a few minutes collecting his thoughts before replying. “Before my exile on earth, I thought of little else besides battle, but during my time there, I learned many things, not least among which, was how to love another more than myself. I meant what I said to Jane, but our time apart has lessened my affection for her. Do not misunderstand me; I still harbor feelings of friendship for her, but the love I once felt has diminished. In fact, thinking on this after our discussion about her last night is what caused me to lose sleep.  
“I told you earlier that I lost sleep because of my fear that you would return to the form of a hammer before I could impart the full extent of my feelings for you; I was not lying. I asked myself what my reasons for remaining here on Asgard were and my thoughts kept returning to you. At first, this confused me, seeing as how I had only known you for a day, but that is not entirely true. You have always been different from any weapon I have ever carried, and I have grown quite fond of you over the years we have spent together.”  
I smiled at his flattery.  
“Thus, I presented myself with this question; were I to be separated from you, as I have been from Jane, how would I act?”  
“How did you answer this question?” I inquired, looking into his eyes.  
“Mjolnir, we both already know the answer,” Thor smiled at me. “Or have you forgotten what happened when Thyrum stole you from me? Or when father banished me to earth?”  
I considered this.  
“Mjolnir, I repeatedly risked my life to rescue you when you were my hammer,” Thor whispered, “but I did nothing for Jane, the woman I claimed to love.”  
“You could not return without the Bifrost,” I reminded him, “and when you did, which was at great expense, it was because of Loki’s threat.”  
“Exactly,” Thor replied. “If it took Loki threatening the earth I love for me to return, what does that say of the value I place upon Jane’s love? If I truly loved her, should I not have searched for a way to return, despite knowing that I would likely fail?”  
I was silent.  
“I did nothing, Mjolnir, but lament her loss,” Thor said softly. “Had it been you, I would not have searched Asgard a thousand times until I found a way to return to you.”  
“I was your weapon, of course you would want me back,” I muttered, my heart aching as I tested him.  
Thor looked at me, hurt by my words. “Mjolnir, if I have misinterpreted your feelings for me, then I beg your forgiveness. I have taken advantage of you and forced my love upon you. Please, leave me to spend another sleepless night, if that is the case, for I would not ask you to stay if it was not of your own free will.”  
I stood rooted to where he had placed me as if I were a hammer once again.  
“Thor, there is no need for you to ask my forgiveness, for you have misinterpreted nothing.” I reassured him. “If anything, I should beg your forgiveness for testing you thusly.”  
“You doubted my love for you?” Thor inquired, his voice swirling with pain and anger.  
“I needed to be reassured of it, yes,” I returned. “I could not allow myself to love you if Jane still held your heart.”  
Thor gave me a look that was somewhere between horror and heartbreak.  
“Thor,” I whispered, daring to touch caress his face with the back of my hand. “I no longer hold these doubts.”  
Thor closed his eyes and inclined his head towards my touch.  
“My heart is yours,” I whispered, standing on my toes to kiss his cheek.  
Thor cupped the nape of my neck in his right hand and turned his head to kiss my lips. I slid my left hand from his cheek and wrapped it around his neck, pulling him closer to me. His left hand wrapped around my lower back and my right did the same to him.  
My mind and heart felt weightless, but my body was firmly grounded, not wanting to leave Thor’s embrace. His beard scratched softly at my upper lip, but his kisses intoxicated me in a way no mead could, and left me breathlessly wanting more. I drew back and placed a series of small kisses on his lips before he pulled me in, his kiss half devouring my mouth.  
A raven’s caw drifted in the window and we froze, our eyes meeting in mutual terror. Odin kept two ravens called Huginn and Muninn, who flew about collecting information, which they then whispered in the ears of the All-father. While Heimdall most certainly knew what was transpiring between us, being caught by one of Odin’s ravens was a less desirable option.  
“…Bed,” Thor said quickly.  
“Right,” I agreed as we broke apart.  
We removed our own armor and I bathed in the other room while Thor went to my chambers to retrieve a change of clothing. I lay back in the warm water, a serene smile on my face and all thoughts far from my mind. I was content and that had never happened before.  
“I have returned,” Thor informed me from the other side of the wall.  
“A moment,” I replied, grabbing a towel from the side of the bath.  
I dried off and wrapped the towel around myself before sticking my head around the corner. Thor smiled and handed me a blue shirt and a pair of brown pants before walking away so I could dress knowing that he was not on the other side of the wall. I dressed quickly and walked back into Thor’s bed chamber, signaling to him that the bath was open. He grabbed his bed clothes and disappeared behind the wall to bathe. When he rejoined me, I was standing beside his bed, and he smiled at me as he circled around to the other side. We pulled back the sheets together and slid in so we were sitting side by side.  
“Good night, Mjolnir,” Thor whispered, kissing my forehead.  
“Good night, Thor,” I whispered back, kissing his cheek.  
He extinguished the lamp and I lay back while he rolled on his shoulder so he was facing me. I glanced at him in the dark and rolled onto my shoulder so we were mirror images. My arm slid over his torso and I slid closer to him, my head resting against his chest, just below his throat. He draped his arm over mine and before long, the familiar sound of his snoring drifted into my ears.


	5. Keeper of the Realms

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mjolnir, Thor, Sif, and the Warriors Three journey to Alfheim to drive out the Marauders.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ending a work is always difficult, so I took a few extra days to make sure it was how I wanted. 
> 
> * Near the end there is a line of asterisks and after that, the point of view switches from Mjolnir to Thor.

The songs of the morning birds drew me into consciousness, but Thor’s warm breath on my neck begged me to remain in the realm of dreams. I became aware that I was laying on my back with Thor’s arm resting across my stomach. It felt natural, as if I had awoken like this hundreds of times before and I couldn’t help but smile. I opened my eyes and turned my head, resting my gaze upon Thor’s serene face as he continued to slumber on his stomach.  

“Good morning,” I whispered, pushing a lock of golden hair behind his ear.

Thor’s eyes opened and he rolled onto his side. “Good morning,” he mumbled, his voice thick with sleep.

“Today, we go into battle,” I smiled, rolling onto my side so we were face to face.

A chuckle rumbled in Thor’s belly. “Many shall be sent to Valhalla this day by your hand,” he replied.

“I shall spare a few so that you may share in my glory,” I teased.

“I thank you,” Thor said sincerely, bowing his head.

“Between the two of us, who will be left for Sif to battle?” I inquired, widening my eyes.

Thor paused. “We shall allow her to send some of them to Valhalla for us,” he decided with a nod.

I laughed. “Of course, we shan’t tell her that.”

“Never!” Thor agreed. “She is worthy of her renown as a warrior, and as her friends, we shall never lead to believe otherwise.”

“I shall keep that in mind,” I replied, nodding.

Thor chuckled and kissed my forehead, cupping my face with one hand. His eyes stared into mine and a smile passed between us, followed by a mutual kiss. Thor slid his arm down to my waist, pulling me even closer to him and making my breath catch in my chest. A loud knock at the door made my heart stop and my eyes nervously met Thor’s.

“Your Royal Highness?” the nervous voice of a young boy called.

“What?” Thor bellowed, propping himself up on his elbow.

“I-I was sent to wake you,” the page boy replied, his voice thin.

“I am awake,” Thor groaned and I gently kissed his cheek to ease his annoyance at the page.

“Y-yes, Your Royal Highness, very good,” the page boy said sheepishly before the sound of retreating footfalls informed us that he had left.

“Poor boy, sent to wake you on the day of battle,” I mused with a smile.

Thor looked at me and returned my smile before pulling me into another kiss.

“I should dress,” he sighed as we broke apart. “I cannot battle on Alfheim in my bed clothes.”

I half-heartedly stifled my laughter as he climbed out of the bed and made his way to the wash basin. Once his face was toweled dry, he selected his attire for the day and walked into the adjoining room to dress. I slid to my feet and stretched my arms above my head before making my way to the basin and washing my face. Thor reentered the room, dressed in black pants and a red shirt, as I was running his brush through my hair.

“Far more presentable for the Prince of Asgard,” I praised, tugging at a particularly difficult knot until it smoothed.

Thor noticed the silver handle of his brush in my hair. “I believe that is my brush,” he said.

“I believe it is,” I agreed, continuing to use it.

“Mjolnir,” Thor sighed, holding out a hand to me.

I met his gaze, gave the knot one final tug, and handed the brush to him.

“Thank you,” Thor said, running the brush through his hair.

“We will be late for breakfast if we do not hurry,” I reminded him, retrieving my armor from the floor, where I had laid it the night before.

Thor set the brush down and began to help me into the breastplate. Together, we made quick work of my armor and were just finishing with his when there was another loud knock at the door and Frigga’s voice called to him.

“Good morning, mother,” Thor smiled kindly, finishing with his armor as she entered.

“Good morning, Thor,” she replied, returning his smile before focusing on me. “I sent one of my handmaids to wake you.”

“I awoke early,” I said, playing with my fingers before dropping them to my sides.

“I told her as much, but I wanted to make certain,” Frigga replied knowingly. “Shall we go to breakfast?”

Frigga positioned herself between Thor and me as we left his chambers and purposefully engaged us in neutral conversation while we walked. When we arrived in the dining hall, she insisted upon walking me to my seat.

“Mother, there is no need,” Thor said kindly as he followed behind us.

“It is no trouble,” Frigga insisted, glancing over her shoulder at him.

I took my seat and Thor gave his mother a resigned look before joining me while she walked to her seat on the other side of the table.

“As I said,” I whispered politely, “she has taken highly protective liking to me.”

“You are worth protecting,” Thor whispered back, taking my hand in his under the table, “my queen.”

“Be aware of your surroundings,” I cautioned, glancing at the servants as they finished brining in the breakfast dishes.

“Mjolnir, there is no reason for us to hide,” he said, his voice soft and persuasive.

“You have asked me to be your queen, but you have yet to obtain the All-father’s blessing,” I reminded him as Sif and the Warriors Three entered the hall. “Until that time, please be cautious.”

Thor gave me a searching look. “Father will have no reason to deny us his blessing,” he reassured me.

“I was your hammer,” I remined him. “That will be reason enough for him.”

“You are not anymore,” Thor challenged. “You and father may not get along, but that should have no baring-”

He broke off his argument as Sif took her seat at my right.

“I have seen children with more tact than you two,” she commented out of the corner of her mouth.

“Sif, please, now is not the time,” Thor pleaded, trying to catch her eye.

I felt her eyes on me before they rested on Thor. “I have never seen you act in this way,” she whispered, her voice soft.

“Sif, after we return from Alfheim, I promise that I will explain everything,” Thor said, daring to meet her gaze.

Sif’s eyebrows twitched together, but she chose to not press the matter any further and turned her attention to her breakfast.

Thor and I exchanged a reassuring smile before turning our attention to our own breakfasts. Odin entered the hall and took his seat, marking the formal beginning of our morning meal. We initially spoke intermittently, but soon found ourselves drawn to the topic at the forefront of our collective consciousness’s.

“I do not like this,” Hogun said gruffly, setting his knife and fork on his plate. “Alfheim has prospered for many years without Asgard’s aid. That they have come to us now gives me pause.”

“If the Marauders are attacking in large enough numbers, it would be enough to make anyone desperate for assistance,” Fandral contested.

“If that is true, it will make defeating them that much harder,” Volstagg grumbled into his morning mead.

“They will also have the advantage of knowing the cities as we do not,” Sif added grimly, pushing her plate away from her.  

“When has that ever stopped us before?” Volstagg inquired.

“Sif is right,” Thor chimed in, interlacing his fingers and placing his elbows on the table. “We will not be joined by the Einherjar this time; if we are not careful, they will overwhelm us.”

“That is another thing that is bothering me,” Fandral commented, leaning forward on his elbow. “Without the Einherjar, how can the Queen of Alfheim expect us to be of much help?”

I glanced across the table at Frigga; her mouth was thin and her eyes were fixed on Odin, who was listening his son and the Warriors Three with interest. Frigga knew the dangers of battle, the risks that were taken, and the decisions that could only be rationalized during the heat of battle. She had fought in her younger years and had watched dutifully as Odin had gone off to war during the early years of their marriage, yet she still worried. It made no difference how many times Odin or Thor returned home safely, the same concerned expression still crossed her face the moment they spoke of returning to the field of battle. I had observed this many a time, but only now did I fully understand how her anxiety could transcend the years of fruitless worry, and I found myself sharing in it.

“Must this be discussed at the breakfast table?” she inquired.

Odin turned his attention to her. “I suppose not,” he replied, a shadow of a smile on his lips.

We fell into silence and I caught Thor looking at me from the corner of my eye. He placed his hands under the table and one of them found mine.

“Once we return from Alfheim, I shall ask for father’s blessing,” Thor vowed softly.

I smiled, but internally I fought against the memory of his vow to return to Jane Foster, and could not help but worry that this promise would be kept in the same way.

“You doubt me?” Thor inquired, interlocking his fingers with mine. “Mjolnir, I would not ask this of you if I did not mean it.”

“I know,” I whispered, squeezing his hand reassuringly in mine.

“Enough of breakfast,” Odin declared, rising from his chair. “There is a battle to be fought.”

The rest of us rose from our chairs and abandoned the remains of our meal. Thor fell into stride two steps behind his father with Sif and I a step behind him. Hogun, Fandral and Volstagg walked two steps behind us in a straight line. Our first stop was the armory, where Thor equipped himself with the same single bladed axe he had used the day before and a domed shield, while the Warriors Three retrieved their customary weapons.

“Here,” Sif said, pushing a buckler shield into my hands. “You will want this.”

“Thank you, Sif,” I said politely, extending it to her, “however, I shall not need it.”

She raised an eyebrow at me. “You will want something,” she insisted. “Otherwise, you will return with far worse scratches than the one Hogun gave you yesterday.”

I subconsciously touched the skin of my cheek that Hogun’s mace had torn up the day before. Thanks to the Healers, all that remained was a thin, near-invisible scar. I muttered my thanks to Sif and she helped me attach the small, circular shield to the back of my breastplate.

“I am Captain America,” I whispered to Thor as he strapped a battle axe to his back.

He glanced at me then the shield on my back before chuckling at me.

The party fell into silence as we left the armory and made our way to the stables, where our horses were saddled and waiting.

Thor climbed atop his mount and brought it beside Sleipnir before he and Odin began to speak intently in lowered voices.

“Planning the attack,” Sif sighed, bringing her brown stallion beside my dun mare.

“Receiving orders from the king,” I corrected softly, inclining my head towards Sif’s.

Odin kicked Sleipnir and Thor followed suit, urging his stallion to walk abreast with his father’s eight-legged one. Sif and I urged our mounts forward, with Fandral joining us shortly after we left the stable yard.

“Are you ready, Mjolnir?” he inquired with a smile.

“This is not my first battle,” I reminded him playfully, sitting up a little taller on my horse.

“No, but this is the first time you will fight in one,” Hogun reminded me from over my left shoulder.

“We have seen her fight,” Volstagg reminded him, puffing out his chest, “Mjolnir is a skilled warrior.”

I smiled and thanked Volstagg for his encouraging words before our mounts broke into a steady canter, speeding us towards Heimdall’s Observatory.

“This battle will not be easily won,” the guardian cautioned us as we dismounted outside his golden observatory.

“When are they ever?” Thor inquired, stepping inside.

We positioned ourselves at the back, where Heimdall would open the Bifrost with Thor at the center, Volstagg directly behind him, Sif off his left shoulder, with Hogun behind her, and me off Thor’s right with Fandral behind me.

“You will be on your own,” Odin reminded us unnecessarily, standing behind Heimdall’s platform. “I will not expect your return until the battle is won.”

I set my teeth, but kept my gaze focused on Thor’s brilliant, red cloak.

“Of course, I shall honor my oath as gatekeeper,” Heimdall added, sheathing his sword, which activated the Bifrost. “I shall not open the Bifrost to you if your return threatens the security of Asgard.”

Electrical energy pulsed through the Observatory as the power of the Bifrost built, sending a shiver up my spine. The intricate gold walls glowed where the energy touched it until the spinning rainbow tunnel of the Bifrost opened before us. Heimdall lowered his sword further into its sheath and we were pulled by the navel into the Rainbow Bridge.

Colors swirled around me as we were hurtled across the branches of Yggdrasil. I had been wrong before; travelling in the Bifrost was far closer to flight than riding a horse. I felt weightless as my body hurtled through space and I smiled as a growing sense of excitement grew inside me. The Bifrost deposited us on Alfheim in an unmistakable flash of blinding, multicolor light that could be seen for miles. Heimdall had placed us on a hilltop which overlooked the capital city. From here, we could easily see the Marauders’ tents, which dotted the pristine, white stone walls that encircled the city on the east, west and south. To the north was a mountain range, which adjoined the city and gave the capital their water supply. A single, narrow road cut through the mountains, connecting the city to the villages on the other side.

The royal palace rose far above the walls and constructed from the same stone. It’s spires glittered silver and gold in the mid-morning sun, blinding us where we stood. The rest of the capital was just visible over the wall; stately mansions built of white stone and silver surrounded the palace while smaller, simpler dwellings made of red clay bricks crowded together to fit inside the confines of the wall. Between the mansions and houses was the market place, which cut a visible line between the two that ran the circumference of the city like a second wall.

From our vantage point, I could easily see the effects of the Marauders on the capital, and bowed my head upon realizing that most of the damage had been done to those who lived closer to the walls, while the city center had suffered little to no damage. Additionally, there was no mistaking the neglect that had been show to those whose homes had been damaged or destroyed. I watched a child climb out of the rubble of what must have one been their house, before going to play in the streets with their friends, who were all skin and bone.

“We must move quickly,” Thor said in a commanding tone as he turned to face us. “The Marauders will have seen the Bifrost and it is only a matter of time before they are upon us.”

“I take it you have a plan?” Sif inquired, her voice devoid of her usual sarcasm while Thor grabbed a stick from the ground.

“The six of us will divide into three groups of two,” Thor informed us in a low voice, as he drew a circle in the dirt and divided it evenly into thirds. “Each group will then be responsible for a third of the city, with the palace as our end goal. The Marauders’ surrender is preferable, but I doubt too many of them will be willing to do so.

“Remember, we are fighting in an inhabited city; I want no harm to come to the Light Elves while we are here. Their queen requested our aid and that is what we shall give them.”

Sif, the Warriors Three, and I nodded in agreement.

“Sif and Hogun, you two will have the southwestern third,” Thor informed them, pointing to the corresponding location on his crudely drawn map.

Sif smiled at him and Hogun nodded.

“Volstagg and Fandral; the southeastern third,” Thor continued, pointing as he spoke.

Fandral inclined his head in agreement and Volstagg cracked his knuckles.

“Mjolnir and I will have the northern third,” Thor concluded, tapping our third.

“Would it not be more to our advantage if you and Mjolnir separated?”  Fandral said in a cautious tone. “It would distribute our strengths better.”

“Only I can lift Mjolnir,” Thor replied without reproach. “We will be more effective together.”

Fandral nodded.

“Your third is the farthest out, “Sif commented to Thor, leaning over his sketch. “Do you want us to delay our attack until you are in position?”

Thor considered this. “Yes,” he decided, “await our signal before entering the city.”

“Signal?” Volstagg repeated, speaking for the rest of the group.

Thor smiled. “I doubt you would miss it,” he replied before focusing on me. “Mjolnir, we have a long trek ahead of us.”

“I could fly us to the base of the mountains, here,” I suggested, pointing to the middle of his crudely drawn mountains. “Once there, we can focus our attack on the gate the merchants’ use to enter the city from the surrounding villages.”

Thor’s golden head nodded before his eye met mine and an approving smile crossed his face. “There you have it,” he said to Sif and the Warriors Three, glancing at them.

“For Asgard,” Fandral said with a sigh, as Thor erased the map with his boot.

“For Asgard,” Thor agreed firmly, looking each of us in the eye.

“May Hel be filled with the screams of our victims,” Sif added with a light smile.

We shared her smile before breaking into our assigned pairs.

“How does this work?” Thor whispered under his breath while shifting his weight from one foot to the other.

I gave him a reassuring smile. “Take my arm,” I instructed, offering him mine. He grabbed my forearm and I clutched at his. “Now throw me.”

Thor raised an eyebrow at me, but grounded himself nonetheless before summoning his legendary strength and tossing me ahead of him with ease. I held fast to his arm and felt his weight leave the ground, accompanied by a surprised, “Woah,” which was quickly followed by an enthusiastic, “Yes!”

I chuckled and glanced down at Thor’s smiling face before taking us above the clouds, so we would not be spotted from the ground. Our world consisted of pale blue and puffy white for several seconds before we broke through a particularly large cloud and descended towards the base of the mountains. As we neared the ground, I slowed our descent and repositioned us so Thor would land first.

“Thank you, Mjolnir,” he said, his boots crunching as they met the ground. I smiled down at him and he readjusted his grip on me so that when I landed, he easily brought my hand up to his lips.

“Not now,” I scolded with a smile.

“Unfortunately,” Thor agreed, turning his attention to the city wall.

Up close, it was breathtaking; each stone had been cut and laid so precisely that there were no cracks or openings that would aid in scaling it without the use of a rope. The wall’s height was also to be commended; I estimated that if the mother Bildgsnipe I had fought were to stand on her back legs, she and the wall would just equal in height. However, we had not come for the wall, and by comparison, the merchants’ gate was much smaller.

“Mjolnir,” Thor said, gesturing for me to go ahead of him.

“With pleasure,” I smiled, approaching the wooden gate, which stood thrice Thor’s height, and knocked it down with a single blow.

Thor readied his axe and we stepped into the city. Terrified faces greeted us before the streets emptied of all residents, which served only to put Thor and me on edge; the mice were gone, now we had to face the wolves.

“I am Thor, son of Odin,” the Asgardian prince called into the empty streets. “I have come to aid the people of Alfheim at the request of their queen. Surrender, and I give you my word that no harm shall come to you.”

I glanced at him momentarily before scanning the surrounding streets and houses for signs of movement. “I am Mjolnir, Hammer of Thor,” I called, slowly advancing alongside Thor. “Surrender yourselves to us and leave this world in peace.”

Thor glanced at me, but quickly returned his gaze to the empty streets.

“Come out, you cowards,” he roared, shaking his axe.

A volley of archers’ arrows answered his challenge, causing Thor and I to instinctively raised our shields above our heads while batting at the falling shafts with fist and axe. Thor caught my eye and indicated a nearby alcove with a jut of his chin. I nodded once and when the last arrow hit the flagstone, we sprinted for the cover the alcove provided.

“Judging form that volley, there are at least five archers,” I whispered, flexing my right hand, which I had used to deflect the arrows.

“I counted six,” Thor replied, breathing heavily from the exertion of repeatedly swinging his axe.

I nodded and glanced up at the surrounding buildings. Most of them were two stories tall; excellent vantage points for our opponents, with ample protection from return volleys.  If we could not get them out of the buildings, our chances of defeating them were slim.

Thor glanced up at the sky and smiled before glancing at me. “Time to give our companions the signal to join the battle,” he said, offering me his arm.

I looked at his arm then at him, not fully understanding what he wanted me to do.  He smiled at me and thunder clapped above our heads as the clouds turned from white to grey and thick raindrops darkened the cobblestones.  I returned Thor’s smile and gripped his forearm while bracing myself for his throw. He sent me hurtling into the air and once I was level with the surrounding roofs, I summoned my lightning. My whole body glowed a blinding blue-white before I dropped like a stone to the flagstones below, the impact sending my lightning up into the houses. I glanced up and sent one final bolt skyward; an unmistakable signal to Sif and the Warriors Three for them to begin their liberation of the city.

Thor caught my eye and nodded towards a wide street directly across from the gate I had knocked down, which suggested that it was used by the merchants to cart their wares to and from the market at the city center. I nodded once to Thor and we began to walk down it, our bodies tense and our minds anticipating an attack to come from behind every door.

“Where are they?” I whispered after we had walked two blocks without seeing a single Marauder.

Thor glanced at me, his eyes conveying the fear his lips would not speak. While the Marauders were not a highly organized group, their numbers were large enough that disbursing small patrols around the city should not have been too taxing and yet…nothing.

“Could it be a trap?” I murmured, glancing quickly at Thor.

“Possibly,” he admitted with a shrug.

I nodded and adjusted my grip on my shield as we stepped into the next city block. We had made it half way before the house doors were thrown open and Thor and I were surrounded by thirteen men of various builds and races, all dressed in mismatched armor and carrying an assortment of weapons which they pointed at us with malicious intent.

“Hello,” Thor smiled as they formed a circle around us.

“You found us,” I added, standing back to back with Thor. “I was beginning to worry that we had come to the wrong city.”

“Surrender to us, and you shall not be harmed,” Thor continued, raising his shield.

“You have our word,” I concluded, dropping into my stance.

I considered the eyes of the Marauders and reveled in their confusion at our words, before sighing as it was replaced with a murderous gleam. One of them at my right, who carried a spiked club stepped forward. He was as tall as Thor, with ebony skin and gold eyes, set against long, black dreadlocks.

“We will not surrender to the Odinson,” he said in a deep, commanding voice while pointing his club at us.

I glanced over my right shoulder at Thor. “So much for not harming them,” I sighed.

The club carrying Marauder stepped in front of me and leaned forward to examine my face. “My, my, you are confident,” he taunted, “and very beautiful.”

I looked at him defiantly; his breath was overpoweringly foul, and he was missing a few teeth. The ones he did have were straight, but yellowing.

“You will fetch a handsome price,” the Marauder continued with a toothy grin that showed all his teeth.

“You will not touch her,” Thor said protectively, raising his axe at the Marauder.

“A favorite of the Odinson,” the Marauder said breathily, leaning even closer and using his club to support his weight.

“Naturally,” I smirked before pulling him into a head lock. “I am his hammer, after all.”

The Marauder’s eyebrows twitched together before I kicked his club out from under him, causing him to stumble forward and allowing me to place him in a head lock.

“Surrender, and you shall not be harmed,” I yelled at the Marauders.

“Do not listen to her,” the one I had in a head lock rasped, swinging his club at me.

The shaft splintered as it impacted the side of my face, but I was unfazed and placed additional pressure on his windpipe. He gasped for air before I felt the full weight of his body against my body. His colleagues stared at me with fear and fury in their eyes; now, there would be no surrender.

I dropped the dead Marauder from my arms and raised my fists, anticipating their blind, rage-fueled attacks which began with the swing of a broadsword at my right. I countered it with my wrist guard before pushing back against him, throwing him off balance enough to make him stumble backward. Thor’s axe parried an attack at my left while I landed a punch at my front. I hit with more power than I had during training and felt the skull bones of my attacker shatter under my fist. I hit again and again until Thor and I stood in the center of a circle of the dead.

“Are you well?” Thor inquired, stepping in front of me and placing a comforting hand on my shoulder.

“Yes,” I replied, looking up into his eyes, “I am no stranger to this.”

He nodded once and we resumed our trek towards the center of the city. By the time we reached the market, we had only encountered a handful of Marauders, whom we had quickly disposed of before continuing on. Small wooden booths lined the market street, which ran along the outer palace wall and a lower wall, which served only to separate the venders from the properties behind them. Thor threw me up on his shoulders as one would a child, and I sent another bolt of lightning into the sky to inform Sif and the Warriors Three of our location.

“This is almost too easy,” I smiled as Thor knelt down so I could climb off of his shoulders.

“Yes, and that troubles me,” Thor replied, quickly scanning our surroundings.

“They are too disorganized to coordinate a sophisticated attack,” I reassured him while walking to an abandoned apple booth.

Thor’s eyes continued to scan the market street and I let out a sigh before taking a bite of one of the apples while leaning against the booth.

I had eaten the apple to its core and was about to toss it when Fandral and Volstagg came jogging towards us.

“Friends,” Thor called as the came within speaking distance, “I see you made it.”

“Just barely,” Fandral panted, clutching a stitch in his side. “We ran into twenty or so Marauders along the way.”

“They were formidable, but proved to be no match for us,” Volstagg added with a light smile.

“What of Sif and Hogun?” Fandral inquired, looking from me to Thor.

“We have not seen them yet,” Thor informed them, shifting his weight. “We encountered a few Marauders along the way ourselves, so it is likely they have as well.”

Fandral and Volstagg nodded.

“They must have encountered thirty or more for Sif to be taking so long,” Fandral jested with a weak smile as he attempted to stretch out the stitch in his side.

We chuckled collectively and Volstagg took an apple from the booth I was still leaning against. He joined me and greedily bit into the ripe, red skin, his eyes scanning the surrounding booths for Marauders and for something else to eat.

“It is too quiet,” Thor muttered, pacing in front of us.

“I do not like it either,” Fandral whispered, repeatedly lifting his foil out of its sheath with his thumb before letting it fall back in.

Volstagg reached for another apple and I tossed my core behind a neighboring booth before tilting my head back and staring blankly up at the sky. Waiting had never agreed with me when I was a hammer; only when Thor was swinging me did I feel alive. Now, I was restless with no real means of easing my tension besides fidgeting, eating, or pacing like Thor. Eventually, I settled for summoning lightning with my fingers and arching the bolts from fingertip to fingertip, but the access electricity only made me more desperate for battle.

A low rumble from the southwest caught my attention and I stood up, mindlessly walking towards the source. Fandral gave me an inquisitive look before a loud crash of metal drew his attention along with Thor’s and Volstagg’s. We formed a line and cautiously approached the source of the noise, which had grown from a rumble into a roar.

Sif and Hogun burst into the market with five Marauders at their heels. Hogun tossed two of his daggers at the unprotected faces the two closest to him while Sif charged towards the other three, her shield raised and her double ended sword flashing in blinding arcs. She stabbed the middle Marauder in the neck before sticking the one on her right in the gut while parrying a blow from the third’s axe. I sent a bolt of lightning at him and he fell face first at Sif’s feet.

“I had him,” she grumbled, stepping over his head.

“I am sure you did,” I replied with a light smile.

“There are more coming,” Hogun reported as he walked towards us.

“How many?” Thor inquired.

“At least thirty,” the grim warrior shrugged.

“We can handle that,” I smiled, glancing at Thor.

Fandral shifted his weight, which caught Thor’s attention. “Is something troubling you, Fandral?”

“Does this seem too easy to anyone else?” Fandral inquired, looking at each of us as he spoke.

“This has not felt right since the beginning,” Hogun agreed, glancing at Thor. “The queen’s army should have been more than a match for what we have seen from the Marauders this day.”

“I agree,” Thor muttered reluctantly, looking at the ground.

“What would you have us do?” Sif inquired, stepping to his side.

Thor paused and looked each of us in the eye. “We cannot withdraw without reason,” he said cautiously. “Do you feel that we have one?”

Each of us considered the situation and his words. Sif and the Warriors Three had accompanied Thor into countless battles since their youth, fighting until they won, even when ordered to retreat, but they were more experienced now, and everything about this excursion felt wrong.

“Let us withdraw,” Sif said, speaking for all of us.

Thor nodded and raised his head to the sky. “Heimdall, open the Bifrost,” he hollered.

An archer’s arrow narrowly missed Thor’s cheek and the market filled with fifty Marauders, who quickly surrounded us. We formed a smaller circle inside theirs, our weapons raised defensively as we stared down our opponents.

“So much for an easy retreat,” Fandral muttered over his shoulder at my right.

“Giving up already?” I challenged with a smile.

“We need to get to higher ground,” Hogun muttered from over my left shoulder.

“Agreed,” Thor said from behind me. “Mjolnir?”

I put my shield on my back and turned to face Fandral. He shrugged at me and I took hold of his forearms before leaping into the air and landing on top of a nearby building. I jumped back for Hogun, Volstagg, Sif, and finally Thor. Between each trip to the roof, those who remained on the ground fought off the Marauders and distracted them when I came back down.

“Heimdall, open the Bifrost!” Sif yelled skyward after I landed with Thor.

The Marauders were now surrounding the house, and some were attempting to climb it with varying results.

“We can easily best them,” I protested, stepping towards her.

“There’s a battalion on its way from the palace, Mjolnir, we need to retreat and regroup,” Sif returned, pointing to the palace gates. “It appears the Marauders have gained control of the city since yesterday. We need to retreat.”

“An additional eight hundred is nothing,” I said in disbelief, turning to her to Thor.

“For you, perhaps,” Volstagg replied softly as the rainbow light of the Bifrost touched down at the edge of the roof.

“Mjolnir,” Thor said, taking a step towards me, “if we had the support of the Einherjar, I would not doubt our victory.”

I looked from him to the Warriors Three in time to see Hogun and Volstagg step into the Bifrost. Sif, Fandral, Thor, and I inadvertently formed a circle on the small section of the roof not consumed by the light of the Rainbow Bridge. Fandral was at my left and Thor at my right, with Sif directly across from me and the Bifrost at her back.

“We have fought off worse odds before,” I protested, looking at Thor, “even without the Einherjar.”

“Mjolnir, we need to retreat,” Thor insisted, taking another step towards me as Sif and Fandral entered the Bifrost. “

“What of the people of Alfheim?” I inquired, gesturing to the city and walking to Thor’s side. “They dislike us for destroying the Bifrost, which allowed the Marauders to invade. Now their city has been overrun, do we not we owe it to them to-”

Thor wrapped his arms around me and stopped my desperate words with his lips. “Forgive me,” he whispered as he pushed me backwards.

“Thor!” I screamed in protest as I stumbled into the Bifrost.

Through the blinding rainbow light, I looked down at Thor as I was pulled back to Asgard. The Marauders climbed into the roof, surrounding Thor and the Bifrost. Thor glanced up at me before leaping onto an adjoining roof in an attempt to draw them away from the bridge to Asgard. I screamed Thor’s name as a well-aimed arrow struck his right leg, causing the prince of Asgard to fall to his knees before I was pulled through Yggdrasil, bound for Asgard.

“Send me back!” I screamed the moment I landed in the Observatory. “There is not a moment to lose Heimdall, Thor-!”

“-Will be safe on Alfheim until such a time when he can be retrieved,” Odin cut in sharply as he marched towards me.

My fury boiled over and I charged blindly at the All-father, my right hand clamping around his throat while the voices of Sif and the Warriors Three swam incoherently in my ears. I lifted Odin into the air until I reached my limit. His remaining eye stared at me before I drove him into the Observatory wall.

“He is your son!” I spat in his face. “Your sole heir and you have sentenced him to death! He is surrounded and helpless; he needs me!”

“It is unsafe for you to return,” Heimdall informed me levelly. “To do so would expose Asgard to the threat of attack. Thor-”

“Then I will defend it!” I screamed, my gaze still locked on Odin. “I have never failed Asgard. I have never failed Thor, unless you prevent me from returning to his side.”

“Mjolnir,” Fandral said cautiously, “Thor threw you into the Bifrost to keep Asgard safe. He knew the consequences of his actions.”

“Thor will find a way to hold out until we can return for him,” Sif added gently.

I relaxed my grip and Odin fell to his knees. “Asgard can burn if it would secure Thor’s safe return,” I muttered coldly, turning to face my companions, who looked back at me with fear in their eyes.

“Surely, you do not mean that,” Volstagg said quickly.

“I do,” I returned, lightning sparking from my fingertips. “Thor needs me.”

Sif’s eyes widened before she and the Warriors Three took a subconscious step back.

“You dare speak treason against Asgard in my hearing?” Odin hissed in my ear.

I turned our met his gaze. “Yes,” I growled, pivoting on my heel and swinging my right arm at his face.

Odin paralyzed my attack by grabbing my wrist with the strength of one far younger, before throwing me into the air. I soared across the Observatory and nearly hit the wall before I was yanked back towards Odin, feeling as if my legs were tied by a rope. I landed heavily at the All-father’s feet, my throat level with his outstretched hand.

“This is the magic that compels you to return to Thor’s side,” Odin muttered coldly.

“That is where I belong!” I growled, meeting the All-father’s gaze.

“I will not tolerate treason,” Odin replied coldly, wrapping his hand around my throat.

“Send me back,” I begged as I realized just how powerless I was to oppose him.

Despite all that he had done, Odin was still worthy of me, and as long as he exploited this, the magic I had been infused with during my forging prevented me from raising a hand against him, and my hatred of him deepened.

“Mjolnir, I, Odin All-father, hereby place you under arrest for the crime of treason against Asgard,” the King of Asgard decreed mercilessly.  

“All-father,” Sif pleaded, “have mercy. Mjolnir is not herself; she did not mean to speak-”

“-Do not presume to know my mind, Lady Sif,” I snapped as Odin pulled me to my feet by my throat. “You dare break our deal?” I sneered at Odin.

“The weapons vault would be a worthy destination for a disobedient hammer,” Odin hissed in my ear before grabbing my right hand with his left and tossing me into the air.

I soared through the streets of Asgard and into the palace. I was pulled down flight after flight of stairs, my body knowing where Odin had intended me to land. I was jerked to the left and I realized where Odin was sending me.

“Joining me?” Loki mused as I landed in the vacant cell across from his.

I ignored him as the cell locked itself around me.

“What exactly did you do?” he inquired eagerly. “Tell Odin that he was not worthy? Or did Thor throw you in here?”

My eyes locked on his and I screamed at the top of my lungs while slamming my fists against the barrier. Loki’s eyes widened and he took a half-step back, his lips moving, but my screams drowned out the sound. Through half-shut eyes, I watched Loki’s lips whisper then demand before my legs gave out from under me and I collapsed on the cell floor, my head resting against the barrier.

“Mjolnir…where is Thor?” Loki hissed softly.

“Thor…” I choked through hot tears before my voice failed me.

“Mjolnir,” Thor’s gentle voice whispered.

My heart stopped and I looked across the hallway with murderous intent.

“Loki,” I growled as my vision blurred with unwelcome tears.

“Why are you acting this way?” Thor inquired with a sympathetic look.

I knew that the Thor standing across from me was a product of Loki’s shape-shifting, but part of me was willing to play his game if it meant securing the trickster’s aide.

“You forced me to abandon you. I always come back to you; I always fight at your side, and…you threw me into the Bifrost and now…. Now you are…and I cannot help you,” I whispered, my voice cracking.

“There will be other princes of Asgard, other warriors who are worthy of you,” the false Thor replied with a sigh characteristic to Loki.  

“I do not care about them,” I returned, half-yelling.

Thor rolled his eyes as only Loki could.

“Thor donned a wedding dress to save me when Freja would not,” I reminded him, reigning in my anger. “Now, help me to rescue him because Odin will not.”

Loki returned himself to his usual form. “How is it that I am continuously called upon to remedy these situations?” he sighed, sounding annoyed.

“You know of secret ways off Asgard,” I returned. “I need use of them.”

“What makes you so certain of that?” Loki inquired, placing his hands behind his back.

“Even concealed Frost Giants would not have been able to enter Asgard,” I sighed, pacing my cell. “The only known way is through the Bifrost, and even if they did know of a secret way, they could not have timed their attack on the weapons vault so precisely without the aid of someone on Asgard. Someone who did not wish for Thor to ascend the throne because he was still too childish for such a responsibility.”

A smile spread across Loki’s face. “Clever,” he praised. “Tell me, what exactly is your plan, Mjolnir? Even if I knew of a secret path off Asgard, you are still trapped in that cell.”

It was my turn to smile. “Do not underestimate me, and I will not underestimate you,” I replied. “Which is why you are coming with me.”

“What if I have no interest in helping you?” Loki challenged with a smirk. “What then?”

“Why would you not?” I mused, returning his smirk. “I am offering you a chance to escape the All-father’s judgement. I will even give you an opportunity to escape to freedom. Well, what freedom is left for you in the Nine Realms. Or would you rather spend the rest of your life in this cell?”

Loki raised his eyebrows at me. “I think I am beginning to like you,” he said approvingly. “However, you have yet to escape your cell, little hammer.”

“I thought you were a patient little Jotun,” I mused, casually walking my cell.

Loki straightened and pressed his lips into a thin line while I smiled triumphantly across the hall at him. Light footsteps descended the stairs near Loki’s cell and my smile widened.

“Mjolnir,” Frigga’s voice breathed before the Queen of Asgard approached my cell from the far side of Loki’s.

“My queen,” I replied, inclining my head respectfully.

I looked past her at Loki, who had frozen where he stood, his eyes resting on the back of Frigga’s head.

“How is Thor?” she demanded, nervously wringing her hands.

Loki dropped his gaze while I contemplated what to tell her before deciding on the truth.

“He was injured last I saw him, and surrounded on all sides by Marauders,” I informed her softly.

Frigga bowed her head and Loki raised his gaze to meet mine. “He has not fought without you for many years,” she whispered.

“That is why I must return to his side,” I responded.

Frigga’s sapphire eyes met mine. “Yes, it is,” she agreed before moving to the control panel of my cell and unlocking it.

“Thank you,” I whispered softly as I stepped down into the hallway.

“She will need your help,” Frigga said over her shoulder.

Loki blinked in surprise at suddenly being addressed, but quickly recovered. “It would seem I have no choice,” Loki muttered as I opened his cell.

“Look after him,” Frigga said to me as she took Loki’s place.

“I will,” I promised, ignoring Loki’s surprised expression.

“Thank you,” Frigga smiled as I reactivated the lock on Loki’s cell.

The Queen of Asgard’s magic shone and an illusion of Loki joined her in his cell while another of me began to pace in the vacant one across the hall.

I looked up at Loki, his eyes were soft for a moment before they turned cold as they focused on me. “You made this sound urgent,” he muttered.

I wrapped my hand around the seam of his green velvet sleeve and lead him to the stairs in silence.

“Parading me around will not improve Odin’s opinion of you,” Loki mused as we stepped above ground.

“He had a very low one to begin with,” I muttered, checking to see that our path was clear.

“That seems to be a pattern with people who do not obey his every command,” Loki commented as I pulled him into the corridor.

I shrugged, opting to scan the hall than verbally agree with the Silvertongue.

“Where are we going, exactly?” Loki inquired after a few moments of silence.

I sighed and stopped him to look around a corner. “We will need a ship, will we not?” I muttered.

“Do you even know how to pilot one?” Loki muttered as I pulled him into the corridor.

“No,” I admitted, yanking at his wrist to quicken his pace, “but you do.”

“You are going to trust me to pilot a ship?” the god of mischief smiled. “Not even Thor is that dense.”

“Unlike Thor,” I returned, doubling my pace, “I have no reservations when it comes to hitting you.”  

“That you do not,” Loki grumbled as he struggled to keep up. “Slow down.”

I stopped dead in my tracks and swung Loki ahead of me so we stood face to face.

“Mjolnir,” Loki breathed with a wicked smile, “there are better ways to get my attention.”

I looked at him expressionlessly before grabbing both of his forearms and leaping into the air. Loki’s legs kicked wildly and his long fingers desperately clamped onto my forearms. He was surprisingly light when compared to Thor, and I could have easily forgotten that he was there, were it not for his iron grip on my arms.

“Put me down, you wretched hammer,” he commanded, his voice trembling minutely.

“Thor never complains,” I shot back as I banked around a corner.

“Thor does this purposefully,” Loki grumbled, tucking his legs up under him.

I chuckled and playfully rose into the air before sharply dropping back down, enjoying the involuntary, panicked noise that escaped Loki’s lips as I did so. By now, we were approaching the armory, behind which the Einherjar kept their skiffs. I slowly descended toward the polished marble floor and set Loki down gently before landing at his side.

“Oh yes, this is a brilliant plan,” he said sarcastically, eyeing the door to the armory. “Do you expect the Einherjar to just let us take one of their ships?”

“No, but they will allow two fellow guards to take one,” I smiled, quickly glancing around us before resting my gaze on Loki. “Remember, your freedom is dependent upon-”

“-Yes, yes,” Loki muttered reluctantly before casting a spell of illusion on me. “Try not to touch anything,” he added, casting the spell on himself.

“I know how your illusions work, Loki,” I hissed, examining the golden armor I now wore.

“Shall we?” he sighed, setting his shoulders and puffing out his chest.

I nodded for him to take the lead and followed two steps behind. We entered the armory cautiously. At first, it appeared to be uncharacteristically deserted, but as we marched through it, a young guard stepped in from the training grounds.

“What are you two doing here?” he demanded and I recognized his voice. He was the guard who had almost told Thor and me that the Alfheim ambassador was visiting the day before.

Loki and I froze.

“Is that any way to speak to your superiors?” Loki returned, marching over to the guard. Everything from his posture to his tone of voice commanded respect and the young guard’s self-assurance evaporated.

“I-I did not mean any disrespect,” the guard cowered, not meeting Loki’s gaze.

“What did you mean, then?” the Prince of Jotunheim growled.

“Queen Frigga has asked for all Einherjar to gather outside the All-father’s audience chambers,” the guard reported with a trembling voice. “The Warriors Three and Sif are speaking with him now and some are saying that we are going to war.”

“The queen asked you to gather?” I asked, stepping to Loki’s side.

“Yes,” the guard confirmed, his hands shaking.

“Then why are you dallying?” Loki inquired.

“I-I was on my way when I saw you two,” the guard admitted, his face reddening.

“We have been tasked with ensuring that the queen’s orders are followed without question,” Loki sneered. “Do you intend to delay us further?

“No, sir,” the guard said rapidly before half-running away from Loki.

We watched him stumble up the stairs and waited until his frantic footfalls had faded before continuing our walk through the armory. As we passed the Warriors Three’s weapons, Loki’s hand discretely reached for one of Hogun’s daggers. I snatched his thieving hand in mine, breaking his illusion spell, and twisted his captured hand behind his back. I held him there until his long fingers surrendered the dagger and I pushed him to the floor once he had.

“We do not have time for this,” Loki protested.

“No, we do not,” I agreed, leaning into him. “Therefore, if you attempt to secure a weapon a second time, I will not hesitate to break your hand. Besides, you really only need one to pilot a craft.”

Loki groaned and I pulled him to his feet. He gave me a cold look, which I returned before we resumed our walk to the skiffs. Loki examined each of them before selecting one, which I stepped into, keeping a watchful eye on the skiff’s pilot.

We took off slowly, both of us scanning for the Einherjar, but quickly found that the young guard had spoken the truth. All of the guards were missing from their posts, which sent a chill up my spine. I had never seen the palace so deserted, and a quick glance at Loki revealed that his discomfort matched my own. Neither of us had been alive or could remember when Asgard had gone to war against Svartalfheim and Jotunheim, but we understood that the eerie sight around us was a prelude to conflict.

“Where are we going?” Loki inquired softly, once we had left Asgard.

He was keeping the skiff close to the water, undoubtedly in an attempt to make us appear inconspicuous to any Asgardian who happened to look out their window at us.

“I will tell you when we reach the passage,” I muttered from the middle of the skiff, where I sat facing him.

“This is not as simple as using the Bifrost,” Loki scolded. “It connects directly to the branches of Yggdrasil. What we are using are the thin branches that come off the main ones. Effectively, we are jumping from one branch to another, so I need to know where we are going, or would you prefer landing on the wrong world?”

“Alfheim,” I muttered, crossing my arms.

Loki repeated our destination with a sigh and turned the skiff to port. As he took us further and further away from Asgard, my distrust of him intensified.

“How much further?” I inquired, glancing over my shoulder at the bow of the skiff.

“Not much further,” Loki reassured me. “If it were close to Asgard, everyone would know about it. Why? Do you not trust me to take you to Alfheim?”

“I have never trusted you,” I returned, meeting his gaze.

“Never?” he challenged, raising his eyebrows.

“I was forged as a part of one of your schemes,” I reminded him.

“That you were,” he conceded, adjusting our course.

“You tampered with my forging,” I added.

“Are you still upset about that?” Loki sighed, rolling his eyes. “Thor kept you anyway.”

“He did,” I smiled dryly, before glancing over my shoulder at the bow.

“I have a query for you, Mjolnir,” Loki mused.

“What?” I sighed, keeping my gaze on the horizon.

“It would not have been difficult for you to overpower Heimdall and send yourself here with the Bifrost,” Loki taunted. “So, why am I here, little hammer?”

“Unlike you, I wish to remain in Odin’s good graces,” I returned, snapping my gaze back to his.

Loki smirked at me. “Now, why would you want that? You could go anywhere in the Nine Realms,” he mused, taking a step towards me. “Yet, here you are, attempting to enslave yourself to Thor once again. Why?”

“Why do you call it enslavement?” I inquired, my voice a half-growl.

“Is that not what it is?” the god of lies whispered. “Look at you; Thor, Odin, they have both exerted their control over you on this day alone, and yet, here you are, escaping across the Realms to save your precious Thor. You are so wholly unbalanced, that you have even gone so far as to place your life in my hands. Oh, Mjolnir, have you deluded yourself so far as to believe that he loves you?

I glared at him with bared teeth, fighting every impulse in my body that desired nothing more than to break his jaw.

“You have,” Loki sneered. “Are you so blinded by your devotion to him that you cannot see what he truly thinks of you? All you are, all you have ever been to him is a hammer he can use to hit things with, but love you? That is the fantasy I did not expect you to harbor. What do you imagine will happen if you remain with him in Asgard? That he will make you his queen? That you will bare his children, you were made for more than that!”

I straightened in surprise. Loki almost seemed…disappointed in me.

“You do not need him,” he continued, adopting a sickly-sweet tone. “Surely, there must be something you desire more than servitude to that oaf, and whoever else is worthy once he dies?”  

“Was this your plan?” I growled.

“What?” Loki said, genuinely bewildered.

“Only you would cast an enchantment on Thor’s hammer to make it flesh,” I elaborated, reining back my anger. “Why?”

Loki rolled his eyes in annoyance. “You are truly dense,” he groaned, talking with his one hand for emphasis. “The enchantment should have taken effect when Thor was on earth, but you were so exceedingly stubborn, that you fought it off until a few days ago.”

“You have yet to answer my question,” I snapped, balling my hands into fists, “and my patience is wearing thin.”

“You saw what I did to those so-called heroes of earth,” Loki mused. “Imagine what I could have done with you.”

I jerked my head away from his gaze and stared angrily out at the passing landscape. Thor rarely left Asgard, so much of the surrounding land was foreign to me. It was mostly water, with a few rocky cliffs and mountains here and there, along with some green islands and forests.

I rose from my spot and stormed to the bow, where I knew there was a small storage compartment with emergency supplies. Among the food rations, flares, and water purifier, I found a pocket, nanomagnetic display of Yggdrasil intended for navigation.

“What are you doing?” Loki inquired over my shoulder.

I marched back to my seat and shot him one, deadly glance before focusing intently on the display.

A useful feature of the display was the ability to map out a set course, which came in handy when trekking through unknown terrain. I opened this feature and began plotting a course from Asgard to the various locations in the Nine Realms I wanted to visit. It would not be practical to go everywhere at once, so I planned smaller trips that would only take a day or two. Theoretically, I could visit all of them in just under a month, but I knew that Odin would not approve of me spending so much time away from Asgard, and resigned myself to spending multiple months on this endeavor.

As I worked, my fury began to subside, as did the poisonous influence of Loki’s words in my mind. While he was not wrong about my devotion to Thor, Loki would never understand it. How could he? I had come to Thor as a shameful failure of Brokk and Eitri’s craftsmanship; unworthy in their eyes, of the Prince of Asgard. Then, he had deemed me worthy despite my flaws. How could Loki begin to comprehend this? Being broken, but being accepted and treated as whole? Thor had tried again and again to show him, but Loki had pushed him away every time. Ultimately, Loki was right, I did not need Thor, but he made me better, and for me, that was reason enough to return to his side.

“You might want to hold onto something,” Loki advised as I finished making my plans.

I looked over my shoulder and saw that we were heading straight for a steep cliff face. There was a small opening between two rocks, half way up the cliffside and Loki had set us on a collision course with it. I did not trust him, but even if he missed the opening completely, most of the damage would be done to the skiff and him. I grabbed onto the sides of the skiff and turned my attention back to Loki, who was giving me an inquisitive look.

“Do you trust me that much?” he inquired, keeping the skiff steady with both hands.

“I trust your desire for self-preservation,” I returned.

Loki smirked at me and the skiff entered the opening. Streaks of rainbow light shot past us and the god of lies’ lips compressed into a thin line, his eyes intently focused on what lay ahead of us.

As we travelled, his analogy of tree branches became more appropriate. I could feel that the power this pathway contained was identical to that of the Bifrost, but it was less concentrated; less stable. An army would never be able to utilize this path, which was likely why its existence was forgotten by the Realms, if any besides Loki had ever known about it.

We were spit out of the mountains of Alfheim with so much force, it took all of Loki’s skill to keep us from crashing into the city wall.

“There,” he breathed with a cocky smile, “that was not so bad.”

I found myself lightly returning his smile, before I climbed out of the skiff and assessing the surrounding landscape. The merchants’ gate had been hastily lifted back onto its hinges and two Marauders stood guard. Thankfully, they seemed oblivious to our presence for the time being.

“Do you have a plan?” Loki hissed in my ear.

I considered the situation. There was no need for me to engage the Marauders this time; they were no longer my primary concern. If Thor had managed to evade capture, his injury would have prevented him from straying too far from the market place. If he had been captured, the only place that could hold him would be the cells inside the palace, which eliminated made the inner walls of the city my main concern.

“Hold on,” I advised, reaching for Loki’s forearms.

He jumped backwards and his right arm evaded my grasp. “Not again,” he stated as he struggled against my grip on his left forearm.

“Thor will be in the center of the city,” I informed him, reaching for his right arm. “Flying is the most direct route.”

“Surely, no one will not notice two people flying above the city,” Loki shot back sarcastically, hiding his right arm behind his back.

“Not if one of them is highly accomplished in Asgardian magic,” I replied persuasively, moving so I could more easily reach for Loki’s free hand. “Now, you can either hide us from the Marauders, or risk injury from their archers.”

Loki reluctantly gave me his other hand and cast a cloaking spell. “I have had quite enough of arrows,” he muttered.

I smiled at him and leapt into the air.

“Gently,” Loki complained, attempting to hoist himself up higher in my grasp. “You nearly tore my arms from their sockets.”

“Always so overly dramatic,” I mused as I flew us over the top of the city wall.

We were only in the air for a few minutes before I set Loki back down in the middle of the market place. The air was thick with the scent of burnt flesh and burning fat. Many of the stands were toppled, and most were either burning or still smoking. At least three hundred Marauders lay dead around us, their bodies scorched black with burns.

“He never did learn control,” Loki muttered, covering his nose and mouth with his sleeve; his green eyes darting left and right.

I walked mindlessly among the dead, my eyes blindly searching for a glimmer of golden hair or the charred remains of a long, red cape.

“Have you ever…?” I asked hoarsely, turning to Loki.

“No,” Loki coughed, “not on this scale, and not since he was a child.”

I bowed my head; this was the raw elemental power of the god of thunder. This was what had been channeled through me every time I’d been raised to the heavens. Even Loki, with all his accomplishments, could not hope to match such a force when fully unleashed.

“We should find him before he levels the city,” Loki commented dryly.

I nodded, but did not move. Loki sighed and closed the distance between us with three long strides. “Mjolnir,” he said impatiently.

“He needs me,” I said accusingly, meeting Loki’s gaze.

“I am inclined to agree with you,” the god of mischief sighed.

I grabbed hold of his wrist and pulled him through the market, our eyes scanning the street for any sign of Thor. I led Loki to the house the Bifrost had taken me from the roof of before we jumped onto the adjoin roof, where Thor had been struck by the arrow. Dried blood dotted the roof tiles, leading us to the other side where several were crushed or missing from someone falling off.

Loki leaned over and I grabbed the back of his robes to steady him. He glanced at me, but said nothing. He scanned the street below for several seconds before pointing to a small alleyway close to the market square; a red cloak was spilling out of it.

I leapt off the roof and was halfway to the alley before I remembered who I was with. I spun on my heels, only to find Loki ten steps behind me, his face pale.

“That could have been your chance to escape me,” I said once he caught up.

“When I do, the opportunity will not be so obvious,” Loki returned.

I shrugged and turned back to Thor. He was laying on his side, surrounded by fifteen dead Marauders who were burned half to ash.

“Thor,” I whispered, dropping to my knees.

“Is he dead?” Loki mused, kneeling beside me and placing a hand on Thor’s throat. “…No, the oaf still lives.”

“Thor?” I begged, brushing his dirtied hair out of his face.

I could feel Loki’s eyes studying me, but I kept my attention on the Prince of Asgard.

“Thor, please, awaken,” I said, shaking his shoulder.

He groaned and his sapphire eyes shot open. They frantically darted around him, pausing on Loki before resting on me.

“Mjolnir?” he mumbled uncertainly, pushing himself up. “What are you…?”

“I came back for you,” I smiled softly.

He winced in pain and grabbed his injured right leg. Most of the arrow shaft had broken away, but what remained was still lodged in his leg.

“We need to get you to a Healer,” I said, examining his wound.

“That, or I could always cut it off,” Loki smirked before I lightly punched his shoulder.

Thor registered Loki’s presence for the first time and his face darkened. “Mjolnir, why is Loki here?” he demanded.

“She threatened me,” Loki muttered as I took hold of his wrist. “Of course, that was after Odin threw her in a cell.”

Thor stared at me. “Why did father place you in a cell?”

“He was being unreasonable,” I muttered, dropping my gaze.

“Mjolnir,” Thor whispered, tilting my chin up with one of his massive hands.

“I wanted to return for you,” I admitted, reluctantly meeting his gaze.

Thor rested his forehead against mine. “So, you enlisted Loki’s help,” he muttered.

“She coerced me,” Loki grumbled, leaning back.

Thor chuckled and I helped him to his feet before sliding under his right arm, supporting his full weight. We took a few unsteady steps out of the alley, pulling Loki along behind us before we caught sight of a group of ten Marauders approaching from our right. Thor pulled me and Loki behind an overturned fruit stand and we observed them cautiously.

“They seem interested in your handiwork,” Loki whispered as the Marauders examined a few of the bodies of their fallen comrades.

Thor bowed his head. “They died needlessly,” he said softly.

“I should have been here,” I whispered. “I could have helped you.”

Loki rolled his eyes in disgust. “Could you two please save this for later?”

“We should not stay here for long,” I agreed reluctantly.

Thor nodded and I peered over the top of the stand; the Marauders were following the blast of Thor’s magic to its epicenter in the alleyway, but their backs were turned to us for the time being.

“Now may be our only chance,” I reported.

Loki strained his neck to see over the fruit stand. “Well, you are not wrong,” he admitted. “Although, Thor is going to slow us down considerably. Too bad Mjolnir cannot fly us out of here.”

“I would, if your arms were made of stronger stuff,” I muttered, meeting his gaze.

“We shall walk then,” Thor decided.

Loki sighed in defeat, and Thor stood up before he could say anything else. I pulled Loki to his feet and helped Thor along the wall of stands and booths. Thor’s weight was almost nothing to me, but his shortened stride effectively slowed us down nonetheless. Loki began to drag his feet or stand still until I was forced to pull him along.

“Keep up, Loki,” Thor said through gritted teeth as he lightly stepped on his injured leg.

“Oh, I am keeping pace quite easily,” Loki mused as I pulled him forward. “I was about to say the same to you.”

“Loki, enough,” I groaned as I helped Thor take another step.

We neared a three-story house that had received considerable structural damage from Thor’s magic, and I instinctively tugged Loki away from the foundation.

“What?” he demanded before eyeing the house. “What would I do with a crumbling house?”

“I would rather not find out,” I shot back, attempting to focus solely on Thor.

Loki let out a small noise to tell us he was insulted by my comment and refused to take another step until I yanked on his arm.

“That hurt,” he protested, stumbling forward.

“One more word, and I swear, I will knock you unconscious,” I exclaimed, rounding on him.

Loki’s eyes widened before his mischievous smile spread across his face. “Will you now, Mj-” he taunted.

The foundation of the house beside us crumbled so the entire structure slid towards us. Loki tried to run and Thor and I did our best to follow him, but Thor’s leg slowed us down.

“Leave him!” Loki snarled over his shoulder at me.

“Never!” I shouted before the house tumbled down around us.

 

…Unworthy…

 

I opened my eyes and squinted against the dust-filled air around me. A load bearing beam was pinching my right leg and various flooring debris blanketed my body. I could feel Thor’s arm limply resting just off my shoulders, but I could not see him. My right arm was pinched between his and another beam, while my left arm was propped up on one of the kitchen pots. Loki was gone.

I bowed my head and stifled a scream of frustration. The debris was no heavier than silk to me, but Loki would be long gone by now and the Marauders were unlikely to ignore the collapsed building for long.

Unworthy. The thought came unbidden into my mind and for several seconds, I did not understand why. Then, I felt a light tug at my left arm; someone was trying to pull me out. I raised my eyes to tell whoever it was to stop, and felt them widen in disbelief.

“Loki?” I breathed.

“Move,” he growled through gritted teeth as he feebly pulled at my arm.

“What…why are you-?” I stammered, still processing his actions.

“The Bifrost touched down a few minutes ago,” Loki informed me, pausing from his futile labors. “Judging from how long it was open, Odin sent a brigade of four thousand Einherjar.”

“Why are you still-?” I inquired, but was cut off as Loki resumed pulling at my arm. “Unworthy,” I informed him.

“Then move,” Loki spat, letting go of my arm.

I pushed myself up and felt the debris shift towards Thor. “Help Thor, and I will,” I bargained, looking into the trickster’s emerald eyes.

Loki nodded and set to work pushing the debris off Thor and me until I could push myself up without risk of harming him. I pulled my right arm free and crawled out on my belly before turning back to Thor. Loki was already pulling at him, but was as successful with Thor as he had been with me. I touched his shoulder and he backed away before I pulled Thor loose with two tugs.

“You should have run,” I informed Loki while looping Thor’s right arm and leg over my shoulders.

“Where would I run to?” Loki challenged, crossing his arms. “The Einherjar will capture the city shortly, and the Marauders will not take kindly to anyone in Asgardian garb.”

I smirked at him and offered him my hands. He sighed and reluctantly took hold of my forearms before I carefully kicked off from the ground and slowly ascended into the sky. Loki cloaked us with his magic and we watched as many of the Marauders fled the city, while those left behind either surrendered or fell before the gold armored Einherjar.

I set Loki down near the skiff before carefully laying Thor inside it. “You could still run,” I whispered over my shoulder to Loki.

“Do you want me to escape?” he inquired, genuinely puzzled.

“No, but I promised you the opportunity to reclaim your freedom,” I elaborated, turning to face him. “If you wish to have it, I will not stop you this day. Although, be advised that the next time we meet, I will punch you.”

Loki chuckled. “Do our encounters ever not involve that?”

“Mjolnir…?” Thor moaned from the skiff.

I glanced at Loki before turning to Thor. “Here,” I whispered.

“Loki?” Thor demanded, attempting to sit up.

“Right here,” Loki groaned. “Your hammer will not let me out of her sight.”

Thor smiled at me before saying solemnly; “We should return to Asgard.”

My heart sank; Odin would not forgive me for my treasonous words in Heimdall’s Observatory. Even Thor’s love for me would not matter; I had spoken treason in the presence of the king. Were I an Asgardian, I would be put to death. At best, I would spend the rest of eternity in the Asgardian dungeons with Loki, and at worst, locked in the weapons vault when Thor did not need me.

“Yes, you should,” I agreed softly, looking into Thor’s sapphire eyes. “Loki needs to be returned to his cell immediately.”

“Mjolnir, you are not coming with us?” Thor inquired, taking my hand in his.

“I spoke treason against Asgard,” I confessed, interlocking my fingers with Thor’s. “I cannot return there as I am.”

“I will speak with father,” Thor insisted. “I will make this right, Mjolnir.”

I shook my head at him. “No...” I said, resting my forehead against his. “You need your hammer back.”

“Wait,” Thor begged, desperately holding onto me.

“Loki,” I called, forcing myself to stare into Thor’s eyes as they shone with heartbreak.

I felt what remained of the first enchantment leave me. “I was just beginning to like you,” Loki muttered.

“Mjolnir, please,” Thor begged, searching my eyes with his.

“Thank you, Thor,” I said sincerely, kissing his forehead. “You accepted me as I was when all others saw the imperfections of my forging. I was worthy of you that day, and I have never forgotten that.”

“Mjolnir,” Thor whispered, cupping my face.

I gave him a sad smile and kissed him one last time.

 

***

 

Thor looked at the man who had been his brother and constant friend; the only person who could begin to comprehend the heartache, disillusion and anger he now felt. He expected to find impish glee in the trickster’s eyes, but found only a subtle softness and even a trace of sympathy.

“You truly cared for her,” Loki stated softly, starting the skiff.

Thor’s eyes rested on his hammer where I had formed at his feet.

Loki cleared his throat loudly. “We should return before we are discovered here,” he commented.

“We should,” Thor agreed hollowly.

Loki piloted the skiff back through the small branch of Yggdrasil in silence, which Thor finally broke once we reached Asgard.

“Could you enchant her a second time?” he whispered.

Loki hesitated. “It would not be an easy task,” he admitted. “Now that she has decided to remain your hammer, that enchantment will strive to keep her that way.”

Thor bowed his head. “I understand.”

“I did not say that it was impossible,” Loki sighed.

Thor raised his eyes from me and met Loki’s gaze for a moment before they fell back into silence. After a while, I felt Loki’s eyes upon me, silently pondering something. He made up his mind and walked quickly to the front of the skiff, where he retrieved the navigation chart I had planned my travels on earlier.

 

_What are you planning?_

 

“Thor,” Loki said gently, holding it out to him, “Mjolnir left this for you.”

Thor considered him skeptically before taking the chart from him and opening it. “This is…” he breathed, his eyes wide.

“Everywhere she wanted to go,” Loki affirmed, stepping back to the helm.

“Thank you, Loki,” Thor whispered after a moment.

Loki was silent and I sent a light shock through the skiff and up his boots. He glared down at me for a moment before relaxing and offering me a small smile. “You’re welcome,” he said to Thor and me.

Thor smiled at me and lifted me so my head was level with his. “It will take some time, but I will take you to each of these worlds.”

 

_I know you will, thank you._

 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

 

“Are you really going to leave without saying goodbye?” Sif’s voice echoed off the Observatory walls.

I turned and gave her a guilty smile. “I suppose not.”

“You are returning to Midgard then?” she inquired, walking to the center, where Heimdall stood ready to open the Bifrost.

“Yes,” I replied, “I promised Jane that I would return, and I intend to keep my word.”

“That is good of you,” Sif nodded. “A king should always keep his word. Especially to the woman he loves.”

I smiled and walked towards her. “I shall miss you, Lady Sif.”

“I doubt that,” she said without heat. “You will have the Avengers to fight battles with, and Jane to return to after. You will hardly have time to miss us.”

“I would not be here, were it not for you,” I reminded her.

She smiled in agreement.

“Sif, you have always been a good and loyal friend to me, and have given me your council many a time,” I praised warmly. “In the fiercest of battles, there is no on eels I would want at my side.”

“Besides Mjolnir,” she smiled.

“Besides Mjolnir,” I affirmed, weighing my hammer in my left hand.

Sif nodded and for a moment, there was a softness to her cold, brown eyes.

“If you should have need of it, my sword is yours,” she vowed.

I bowed my head respectfully to her. “Thank you, Lady Sif.”

She nodded and a moment of uncertainty passed between us. I broke it by asking Heimdall to open the Bifrost, before bidding Sif farewell.

“You truly love her,” Sif said quickly, as I approached the open Bifrost.

“Jane? Yes, of course,” I replied, confused by her statement.

Sif shook her head. “No, Mjolnir,” she clarified. “It did not go unnoticed that you travelled to other Realms between battles.”

“She left me a map of every place she wished to visit, and we have been to each of them,” I summarized while smiling down at Mjolnir.

“You kept your word to her,” Sif nodded approvingly. “Now, go and keep your word to Jane.”

“I shall return, Sif,” I vowed. “I promise.”

“Until then,” she said with a respectful bow of her head.

I smiled at her before stepping into the Bifrost.

For a time after, Jane and I were happy. Then other scientists took an interest in her research and she began to travel. At first, I did not mind, she deserved the recognition, but the longer she was away, the more I became aware that we were not well matched.

It well may be that I will come to love another, but for now, my heart belongs to Mjolnir. I know now that a part of me has belonged to her since the day she was presented to me by Brokk and Eitri. I would not be who I am without her, nor she without me. In that respect, we are well matched, and while I will not be able to spend the rest of my life with her as my queen, she will be at my side until I enter into Valhalla.


End file.
